


hearts grow warmer with the cold

by BatWingsandBlackCats



Series: The Hollis Tree Farm AU [1]
Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Holidays, Hollstein - Freeform, tree farm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:54:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28320030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatWingsandBlackCats/pseuds/BatWingsandBlackCats
Summary: Carmilla hates Christmas.That wasn’t always the case, though. She used to love it. But broken hearts tend to sour these kinds of things, and it was like pulling teeth for Will to get Carmilla to go with him to get a Christmas tree from the Hollis Tree Farm.It was a good thing he insisted though, or Carmilla would have never met one Laura Hollis.
Relationships: Laura Hollis/Carmilla Karnstein
Series: The Hollis Tree Farm AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2173749
Comments: 7
Kudos: 67





	hearts grow warmer with the cold

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> God damn, it’s been a minute since I posted anything substantial here. I’ve had writers block for a w h i l e, and this idea actually came into being in January 2019, but I just hadn’t had the brain power to finish it.
> 
> Apologies for any typos, I literally finished it at 2am — I am planning to go back and do a better editing job, and maybe add some bonus scenes as well, but I really just wanted to get this story up in time for Christmas. 
> 
> The title was inspired by John Denver’s Christmas song ‘Aspenglow’
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you all have a safe, happy holiday!

Friday, November 27th

“I don’t see why you couldn’t have done this yourself.” 

Will looked over to his sister, and rolled his eyes. “Kitty, you’re my sister, and it may be news to you but I actually like to spend time with you occasionally.” He said, hands in his coat pockets. “We used to get a tree together every year, even when you were in that tiny apartment that only had room for a twig. I’d _like_ to keep that going.”

“Fine,” Carmilla grumbled, trudging along the row of cars after him, hands also jammed in her pockets. Her breath came out in white puffs in front of her, and her leather jacket was getting a little chilly, but she wouldn’t let anyone know that. Her red scarf was wound around her neck, and her heavy boots crunched the bit of snow leftover from the plows.

Up ahead, cheerful chatter could be heard, Christmas carols and children laughing. Normally this would have been something Carmilla, despite her general dislike of people, would smile into her scarf at, but right now she couldn’t bring herself to find anything but annoyance in it. 

Will, on the other hand, had a bounce in his step, his thick green coat buttoned up and paired with that ridiculous black and red checked beanie sitting haphazardly on his head. Carmilla had gotten it for him for Christmas a few years ago. His annoyance with his sister seemed to dissipate the closer they got to the tree farm.

The Hollis Tree Farm.

They’d been coming here for the last five years, the day after Thanksgiving, like clockwork. 

Will _loved_ Christmas. He practically lived for it when they were kids, and it had only seemed to intensify with age. Carmilla was happy to go along with that. Usually.

Watching Will’s eyes light up with childlike wonder as they ascended the small set of stairs that led from the parking lot to the farm took the edge off.

Laid out before them was the sprawling Hollis Tree Farm. 

A path between two small barn-like buildings opened up to reveal the main courtyard of the farm. In the center sat a row of tree balers flanked by three large bins full of free tree clippings and scraps. To the left sat row upon row of little elf trees and holly bushes in pots. to the right stood two open barns, one housing huge pre-cut balsams and pines, the other housing handmade wreaths and garlands. Classic Christmas carols played over the speakers hung high on wooden poles, soft crooning in the background.

Children ran to and fro, no doubt running off the sugar from a hot chocolate or two at the canteen, and overhead hung criss-crossing strands of white Christmas lights, the doors of the buildings adorned with similar lights, wreaths, and garlands, red bows. Another curving path led from the main courtyard to another down the hill a ways, where the flicker of a fire pit could be seen, flanked by the canteen and a gift shop.

Beyond this central hub lay sprawling acres of Christmas trees waiting to be cut and taken home, and in the midst of those fields sat an old farm house that Carmilla had only ever seen from a distance. 

Carmilla followed behind Will as he made a beeline for the stand where the bowsaws were kept by the balers for the cut-your-own trees. 

“Hello!” Said a short, chipper woman as they approached. “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” Will said, clapping his hands together. “we want to go cut a tree.” He pointed behind him towards the fields with his thumb.

“Great!” She said, and handed over a red bowsaw, “Just make sure you come back by about four, it gets dark quick out there.” 

Carmilla stood a step behind Will, to his right, and silently studied this woman. She didn’t think she’d ever seen her at the farm in all the years they’ve been coming. She was short, an inch or so shorter than Carmilla herself, but she stood tall, her dark eyes bright and her cheeks red from the cold. She wore a grey beanie, and a dark green sweatshirt with the two trees and ‘Hollis Tree Farm’ in swirling white letters, and pinned to it was a name tag that said ‘Laura’. 

This woman was far too chipper for how cold it was. 

“Do you have any concolor firs?” Will asked, jarring Carmilla from her thoughts. She shifted her eyes from Laura and glanced over at some kids who ran by them.

“We do!” Laura said excitedly, “We were finally able to grow some after the fungus receded. There’s a patch of them by the crossed candy canes, look for the long, curved needles and citrus-y scent.” 

Will thanked her and turned on his heel, marching in the direction Laura pointed them with Carmilla catching up to walk beside him. 

“She was cheerful,” Carmilla commented, shoulders hunched slightly against the cold. 

“It almost Christmas and she works at a tree farm, Kitty, of course she’s cheerful.” 

“It is far too cold to be that cheerful,” Carmilla grumbled, but otherwise stayed quiet. She couldn’t bring herself to be very happy about where they were, but she didn’t want to completely ruin it for Will. 

The two of them strode through the trees, Carmilla following close behind him as he carefully inspected each tree, tugging gently on the branches to test the strength and studying each needle. She remembered the time when she would study the trees just as closely alongside him, but she felt no tug to do so this time. She tried though, for Will's sake.

"Is this one good?" Carmilla asked, gesturing to the one Will had been studying for the last five minutes.

Will stood, a smile on his face. "Looks good!" He said happily. "Hold the top, will you?" He crouched down again after Carmilla gripped the top of the trunk and began sawing at the base of the tree. 

Soon the two of them were on their way back to the main courtyard of the farm to get the tree tied up. Carmilla carried the end of the tree, Will walking in front of her, and soon they were standing in front of Laura again, who was loading new twine into the baler. 

"Found one?" Laura said cheerily as she straightened up again, catching her hat before it slipped off her head. 

"We did!" Will said happily, and passed the tree off to Laura after she hopped off the baler.

Laura's eyes lingered on Carmilla as she stood silently beside will. "You're not getting one?" She asked. 

Carmilla's eyes flicked to Laura, a spark of annoyance growing inside her. "Look, cupcake, isn't selling the one tree to him good enough? One less tree sold isn't going to lose you your job."

Laura raised an eyebrow, hurt flashing in her eyes. "Fine," she said shortly. "Honestly I just thought that maybe your apartment didn't allow them or something." She took the tree from Will and hauled it up onto the baler. "Hook it up, Kirsch!" She called to the man on the other side, who turned around and hooked a clamp to the stump of the tree. 

Will shot Carmilla an annoyed glance before he walked up to the register to pay for the tree. Carmilla waited off to the side, holding the ticket with the tree's number on it, watching as Laura immediately moved onto the next customer, that hurt look in Laura's golden eyes seared into her mind for some reason. 

“I know you don’t like Christmas anymore, but maybe cool it a little, yeah?” Will said as he paused for a moment on his way to get the tree from the baler. "I'm sorry about my sister," he said to Laura once he got to the baler. 

Laura shrugged a shoulder. "It's okay," she said with a halfhearted smile. "I work in customer service, so, y’know."

———

Carmilla lay in bed in the dark that night, staring at the ceiling, but all she could see was the hurt look in Laura’s eyes. She didn't understand why it was bothering her so much. 

She had felt bad about putting a damper on the afternoon for Will, so she’d tried to make up for it by suggesting they go to the canteen for some cider. Will had hesitantly agreed, and they spent a good hour by the fire pit, paper cups of cider and several cookies devoured between them. They didn’t talk much, but it wasn’t a hurtful silence. She knew Will forgave her, though she knew he really shouldn’t have. 

Later that night, Carmilla had helped Will set up his tree, and made an effort to follow along in his festive wake, and she hoped she mostly succeeded despite the wrench in her gut that the scent of the Christmas tree and the cookies in the oven and the sound of the carols over the speaker was causing. 

She didn’t get why Laura wouldn’t leave her mind. Carmilla wasn't a stranger to guilt, but over something comparatively small as snapping at a woman at the tree farm…this was new. 

But she couldn't get Laura out of her mind. It was nagging, that hurt look in Laura's eyes sitting like a rock in the pit of Carmilla's stomach. 

Carmilla huffed out a sigh and rolled onto her side, trying to put it out of her mind so maybe she could get some sleep. Bagheera, Carmilla’s little black cat, chirped in annoyance at her for jostling the bed, but soon began purring again when Carmilla ran her hand down her back.

Sleep wasn't usually something that came easy for Carmilla. Not ever really, but even more so now.

Even so, she closed her eyes and burrowed into the covers, Laura’s face swimming behind her lids until she finally drifted off.

//

Saturday, November 28th

The next morning Carmilla found herself, for some inexplicibal reason, back at the tree farm. She glanced around as she strode about the farm, feet crunching gravel and snow. It was just as lively as the day before, Christmas music playing over the speakers, cheerful chatter and the crackling of the fire pit, children laughing. 

But Carmilla didn't see Laura anywhere. 

After nearly an hour of looking, and the sneaking feeling that she was probably looking rather creepy growing more intense with every moment, Carmilla eventually came upon the canteen, and with her fingers growing numb, she stepped inside to warm up. 

The canteen was just as packed as it was outside, families seated around small tables, cradling paper cups of cocoa and cider and bowls of soup between cold hands. Across the back of the room was a long counter, a pastry case to the left filled to the brim with cookies, and the counter behind the service counter holding neat rows of industrial coffee machines and large hot beverage carafes filled with apple cider and several different kinds of cocoa, large crock pots filled with a variety of soups and stews. The room followed the decor of the rest of the farm, the walls paneled in honey colored pine, the floor made of weathered, grey wide planked wood. The air smelled of cinnamon and allspice, clove and ginger, and Carmilla fell into line behind a few people waiting at the counter.

When Carmilla finally reached the counter, she was greeted by a cheery but high strung woman, fiery red curls piled up on the top of her head, a flour-streaked blue apron covering her torso. The sleeves of her white cable knit sweater was pushed up to her elbows, and there was a smudge of chocolate on her chin.

"Good morning," The woman said cheerily, Her blue eye wide and bright, which Carmilla found slightly startling. "What can I get you?" 

"Uhm..." Carmilla paused a moment. "I'm actually looking for someone." She said, her fingers twisting together in her jacket pocket. "I think her name was Laura, I saw her here yesterday."

Perry raised an eyebrow, and seemed to study Carmilla for a moment. Scrutinizing her. She nodded after a moment. "Her shift doesn't start until later, you'll most likely find her in her workshop,"

"Workshop?" 

"Yes, her workshop," Perry said mildly impatiently, as though it was common knowledge. "Its near the farmhouse, a little red shed that looks like a barn. There's a wreath on the door."

Carmilla nodded, still slightly confused. 

"Can I get you anything to eat or was that all you wanted?" Perry asked.

"Uh…two ciders," Carmilla said with a shrug.

Perry quickly bustled off down the counter to the carafes that held the cider, and when she came back with the two to-go cups carmilla saw that one held cocoa and not cider. 

"I asked for _two_ ciders, Red." Carmilla said, looking up to Perry. 

"Laura prefers cocoa over cider, dear," she said dismissively, and then went off to get several cookies for the next person in line. 

Carmilla raised an eyebrow at that, but dropped a five dollar bill on the counter all the same, and left with a to-go cup in each hand.

The cold air hit her like a brick wall when she stepped out of the canteen again, and headed towards the farm house she saw past the trees. She’d never seen it up close, but best she could tell it was a two story home, and sided in weathered wood. Her mind drifted to Laura again, and she idly wondered why an employee would have her own workshop. What would she need a workshop for? Carmilla shrugged to herself and kept walking, and soon came upon the little barn-like shed the woman at the canteen had described. 

As Carmilla approached, she could hear faint music coming from inside, and she paused a moment before finally tapping the door with her foot, seeing as both her hands were occupied. A moment later, she heard the music switch off, and the thump of footsteps across the wooden floor before the door opened up to reveal a very surprised looking Laura. 

Her hat was off, as was her company sweatshirt, and in its place was a ratty old red flannel, the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. Her jeans were stuffed haphazardly into her work boots, and her hair was hastily tied back, her grey teeshirt under her flannel dusted in sawdust. Carmilla’s eyes flicked to Laura’s arms, one of which was covered in a tattoo that looked like the silhouette of a grove of evergreen trees, the black ink starting at her wrist and ending a few inches below her elbow. 

“Uh, hi,” Laura said, looking at Carmilla with a perplexed expression. 

“Hi,” Carmilla said, suddenly at a loss for words. Her plan hadn’t really extended past just finding Laura. “Uhm, I…I’m sorry about yesterday. Bad day.” She held out the to-go cup of cocoa.

Laura raised an eyebrow, but took it. She shrugged a little. “S’okay,” She said, and leaned on the doorframe. "Thanks for the cocoa," she said with a small, curious smile. 

Carmilla nodded, rocking on the balls of her feet for a moment. "Right, so...bye." she said, and turned on her heel.

"Hey, wait," Laura called, and stepped out of the shed. 

Carmilla heard the crunch of gravel under Laura's boots behind her, and paused, turning around, giving Laura a curious look. 

"Tell me why you had a bad day?" Laura asked.

Carmilla paused for a moment, not knowing how to respond, but the pleading look in Laura's eyes swayed her. 

"Alright," Carmilla said, and waited, watching as Laura ducked back into her workshop to get her coat. She emerged again in the same hat as the day before, and a jean jacket over her flannel. Carmilla quirked an eyebrow. "Aren't you cold?" 

Laura glanced down at herself. "Nope," she said, looking back up at Carmilla. "The cold doesn't bother me.”

“Of course it doesn’t,” Carmilla quipped as they began walking down the gravel driveway. 

“How did you find me anyway?” Laura asked, glancing over at Carmilla. 

“Suzy Homemaker at the canteen told me about your workshop,” Carmilla said, and sipped her cider. 

“Oh, Perry?” Laura asked. “The one with the red curly hair, kinda high strung,” She continued when Carmilla gave her a blank look. 

“That’s the one.” Carmilla nodded. “So, why does an employee have her own workshop?” She asked, nodding back to the shed.

“It’s my family's farm,” Laura said, “dad got sick of me littering the kitchen floor with wood shavings, and the gouge in our wood counters from one of my tools was the last straw, so he insulated the shed and set up a table in there,”

“Oh, so _you’re_ Hollis,” Carmilla said, giving Laura a smirk as she raised an eyebrow. 

“One of them, but yeah,” Laura nodded. 

“So...you’re a woodworker then?” Carmilla asked. 

“Yes, but I believe we were going to talk about _you_ ,” She said, giving Carmilla an expectant look. 

Carmilla heaved a dramatic sigh. “ _Fine_ ,” She drawled. She was quiet for a moment, the rustle of the trees and the distant music and chatter, the crunch of gravel the only sound between them. “I…my girlfriend and I split up a couple years ago about this time."

Laura’s face softened. “I’m sorry,” She said, her voice quiet. 

“It’s okay,” Carmilla said, glancing over to Laura. “It was probably for the best, but —”

“It still hurts,” Laura said knowingly. 

“Yeah,” Carmilla nodded. 

Carmilla surveyed the farm around them, noticing for the first time that Laura had led her into the trees. “Are you taking me out here to kill me with a hatchet?” She asked, looking at Laura with a mock suspicious look.

Laura rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. “Relax,” She said, “I know this place like the back of my hand. I could find my way back to the house in the dark.”

“Have you?” Carmilla asked, curious. It had started to snow lightly, and she was momentarily distracted by the snowflakes caught in Laura’s hair. 

“I have,” Laura said with a laugh. 

“When?” Carmilla pressed, amused. 

Laura looked over to her, her eyes lingering momentarily on the lipstick stain on Carmilla’s paper cup. “My first girlfriend and I camped out here in the summer once. I ran back to the house to get her another blanket.”

The two of them strode around the farm for nearly another hour, and Carmilla was suddenly struck by the fact that she felt...at ease in Laura's presence. Her patience with people was thin on a good day, but this was new. 

Their conversation consisted of things that were really nothing, Laura would pry and Carmilla would dance around complicated answers. They occasionally lapsed into silence and carmilla found herself content listening to Laura rattle off facts about the different trees. She watched as Laura ran her hands along the branches of the trees they passed. 

They'd been walking through the fields of trees, drinks long finished for nearly an hour, occasionally emerging onto the path and then disappearing into the trees again. Their conversation was interrupted though when Carmilla's phone beeped. 

Carmilla pulled her phone from her pocket and groaned in irritation. 

"Gotta go?" Laura asked, eyes flicking between Carmilla and her phone. She felt an unexpected sinking in her gut. 

"Yeah, it's work." Carmilla said, pocketing her phone again.

"Okay, well, thanks for the cocoa," Laura said with a smile, though it was somewhat bittersweet. 

"Don't mention it, cupcake," Carmilla jammed her hands into her jacket pockets. "Well, see you, sweetheart." Carmilla turned on her heel and started towards the red flag that Laura had pointed out as a orientation point among the repetitive trees. 

"Carmilla?" Laura called after a moment, and Carmilla stopped at the sound of thumping footfalls behind her. "Come back tomorrow?"

"I cant," she said, "work." She watched as Laura's shoulders fell, and she very suddenly found that she didn't like that at _all_. "But I could the next day."

———

Laura closed the front door behind her, and leaned over to untie her boots as the warmth of the house washed over her. Night had long fallen outside, the sky growing dark as she worked in her workshop, but her stomach finally growled loud enough to get her to close up for the night and head home.

"Hey pumpkin," Sherman called from the kitchen amidst the clanking of pots and cutlery. 

"Hey dad," Laura said happily, all but bouncing into the kitchen. "Ooh, smells good," she said, leaning around him to see what was cooking on the stove. 

"You sound chipper," Sherman said, giving her a curious look. 

"What's not to be chipper about, it's almost Christmas," Laura said, and snatched a piece of chicken from the pan in front of Sherman. It scorched her fingers but it was worth it, a smile curling across her face at the taste of tomatoes and garlic. 

"Yes, but you're even more chipper than usual," He said. "Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. "Yeah. You?"

"Oh no, you're not getting off so easily," Sherman said. He turned to Laura and crossed his arms, giving her an amused but determined look. "Something to do with Danny maybe...?”

Laura's nose wrinkled slightly. "Dad no, I told you a thousand times, we're just friends. Besides, she has her eye on someone else anyway." 

"Okay, well, then what is it?”

"I can’t just be in a good mood?” Laura laughed, but then rolled her eyes at Sherman’s determined look. “Alright, fine, remember that really rude woman that snapped at me yesterday?"

"...yes..?"

"She came back today," she said, still in some degree of disbelief about it all. "She brought me a cup of cocoa and...apologized."

//

Monday, November 30th

“Carmilla!” 

Carmilla turned around to find Laura walking towards her, dressed in her green Hollis Farm sweatshirt again, but this time she was wearing a Santa hat instead of the grey beanie. She smiled a little. “Hey, cupcake,” She said as Laura stopped in front of her.

"Hey," Laura grinned, rocking on the balls of her feet somewhat. She gave Carmilla a scrutinizing look. "You're not grumpy today, are you?"

"I'm always grumpy," carmilla said, though there was a teasing lilt to her voice. "Though, not as much today."

"Good," Laura said, her smile widening. "I still have a couple hours left of my shift, but it's been pretty slow today, so we can walk around and uh, talk. Unless you don’t want to, which I get because it's really cold out and for some reason you never seem to wear more than that tiny leather jacket....which I'm not criticizing! It's a nice jacket, a uh, very nice jacket, but um, anyway, you could always hang out at the canteen or—"

"Your rambling is adorable, cupcake, but breathing is important," Carmilla said, an amused look gracing her face.

Laura took a breath and smiled, somewhat embarrassed, but also bowled over by how absolutely beautiful Carmilla looked at the moment. Her hair was wavy and wild around her face, eyeliner smudged around dark, tired eyes. That same dark lipstick gracing her lips. The cloudy winter sky cast soft shadows over her face and she looked like shed stepped out of the landscape itself. 

"I'm fine with walking with you," Carmilla said. "I'm curious about what you do all day."

"You already know what I do all day," Laura said, turning to walk towards the fields, her stomach fluttering strangely as Carmilla fell into step beside her. 

"I know the basics, but I want to know what you _do_." Carmilla said, looking sidelong at Laura.

Laura turned to Carmilla, an excited grin on her face. "Come on."

Laura led Carmilla deep into a different part of the fields, further away from the main courtyard of the farm. She had only barely resisted the urge to tug Carmilla along by the hand. 

"I'm still not totally convinced that you're not an axe murderer," Carmilla said.

"Oh please," Laura scoffed, "do I look like an axe murderer to you?"

"The innocent looking ones are the hardest to spot," Carmilla said knowingly.

Laura rolled her eyes but still smiled as they continued to walk. 

The trees grew bigger the further they walked — they were all different sizes, set about in hap hazard rows, but some of them looked far, far too large to be considered Christmas trees anymore. some had crooked trunks or sparse branches, some of them had trunks that spit into two halfway up. One of them was nearly growing sideways.

"This is our little patch of misfits," Laura said, her steps slowing. “the trees that won’t sell because they’re not symmetrical, if they’re sparse or funny looking, get transplanted here. We don’t like cutting down trees that we don’t have to, so every year after Christmas we go through the fields and dig up the funny looking ones that didn’t sell.”

Carmilla looked out over the vast patch of misfit trees, and she couldn’t help the soft smile that tugged at her lips. It was beautiful, this sprawling patch of reject trees, so well taken care of and flourishing in this hidden space. 

“It’s beautiful,” Carmilla said, reaching out to touch one of the branches. 

“My dad started doing it when he was little. He didn’t like seeing the trees being chopped down and fed into the chipper so he begged my grandpa to just…move them.”

“Smart guy,” Carmilla hummed, and looked to Laura. 

Laura was flanked by a few trees, one of them growing crooked, and the other one spindly and pushing nearly ten feet by now. She looked so at home among these misfits, and it made something flutter in the pit of Carmilla’s stomach. 

“What's your dad like?” Laura asked, and the fluttering in Carmilla’s stomach dulled. 

“I never knew my father,” Carmilla said. “I’m adopted.” 

Laura winced at herself. “Sorry,” She offered, “sometimes I stick my foot in my mouth. A lot of the time actually.”

Carmilla breathed out a laugh. “It’s okay, cupcake.”

Laura raised an eyebrow. “Why do you keep calling me that?” 

“Because you’re cute, and sweet, like sugar,” Carmilla said, giving Laura smirk, though it was soft. 

Laura felt her neck warm up but desperately hoped Carmilla would just think that it was from the cold. “Are you hungry?”

———

Laura let out a contented sigh as the familiar warmth of the canteen washed over her as they stepped inside. The canteen was less busy this time, it being a weekday, and the low hum of the machines behind the counter and the soft Christmas carols over the radio, the minimal chatter was just as calming as the wind and the crunch of the snow outside. 

“Get whatever you want, it’s on the house,” Laura said, gesturing to the menu. 

“I’m not that broke, sweetheart,” Carmilla chuckled, raising an eyebrow at Laura. 

Laura’s eyes widened. “That’s not what I meant!” Laura said quickly, her voice getting a bit squeaky. “i just, I was jut trying to be nice, I wasn’t implying anything—“

“Laura,” Carmilla said calmly, her smirk firmly in place, her eyes playful. “I was kidding." 

"Oh," Laura said, her eyes widening even more as blush creeped up from her neck. "Right. Um, well, let's just go pick something." 

Soon, the two of them were seated at a small table in the corner, Laura's hat and scarf piled on the windowsill beside them, her hair falling around her shoulders. She’d shed her sweatshirt too, and underneath it she wore a dark green t-shirt with the words “Hollis Tree Farm Staff” printed on the breast pocket in intricate cursive. Carmilla had shed her coat as well, her red scarf sitting next to Laura's. In front of them sat two bowls of soup and a couple grilled cheese sandwiches. 

Carmilla watched amusedly as Laura dug in, ripping off chunks of the grilled cheese, and dunking them into her bowl of broccoli and cheddar soup. Laura caught her eye and smiled bashfully. 

"Sorry," Laura said, slightly embarrassed when she caught Carmilla watching her. "I haven't eaten since six this morning."

"Don't be sorry, it's cute." Carmilla said, a small, amused smile firmly in place. She picked up her own sandwich and dunked it into her chicken soup. "So, _Hollis_ ," Laura looked up at her and raised an expectant eyebrow. "that's very festive, holly and all."

Laura nodded with a small laugh. "Yeah," She took a drink of cider. "My parents picked my first name to match. Laurel, another Christmas plant." 

"Is it?" Carmilla asked. 

Laura nodded. "The colonists used to put holly and laurel in their windows for Christmas before Christmas trees came over from Germany in the 1800s."

Carmilla hummed, nodding. "I suppose Christmas is in your blood then, huh?"

"It is," Laura said with a smile. 

They lapsed into silence as they ate, letting the warmth of the soup seep into their bones. Carmilla watched Laura more than she’d like to admit, her eyes tracing over the tattoo on Laura’s right arm. Up close, she could see that the tattoo circled around her entire arm, the trees continuous. When Laura stretched, bringing her arm up over her shoulder, Carmilla noticed a little cabin nestled among the trees on the inside of her wrist. The heat of the room was starting to make Carmilla a little sleepy, but she blinked it away. She had work to do when she got home later. 

“So, you never told me what _you_ do,” Laura said as she sat back in her chair.

Carmilla looked up from the last of her soup and caught the curious look in Laura’s eyes, which upon closer inspection, she realized that Laura’s eyes were the color of honey, the white Christmas lights hung above them reflected in her eyes.

“I’m a musician. Well, composer, now,” Carmilla said. “I started scoring Indie films over the last few years wen I got tired of just playing gigs.”

Laura’s face lit up. “What do you play?” She asked excitedly.

“Cello,” Carmilla said. “I played piano growing up and it helps with composing, but...I like my cello best. Sometimes I write freelance for extra money.”

”I can see you with a cello,” Laura said with a smile. “What do you write? Poetry? Fiction?”

Carmilla couldn’t help smiling at Laura’s enthusiasm, despite the dull ache in her gut. “I haven’t written in a long time,” She shrugged, her smile fading. “writer’s block.”

Laura watched her for a moment, unconvinced, but she didn't push it for once. She could see something behind Carmilla's dark eyes, in the slight downturn of her lips. Some sadness, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

—————

"Got it?" Laura grunted, looking back at Mel, who was carrying the other end of the tree. 

"Got it, Hollis!" Mel called back.

Between the two of them was an eight foot balsam that they'd just felled. Ahead of them was the horse-drawn cart that they’d ridden out into the fields. They both heaved the tree onto the trailer, and then headed back out among the trees.

"So who's that girl you've been palling around with lately?" Mel asked as she handed Laura the bow saw once they’d gotten to the next tree. 

Laura looked over at Mel. "She was a customer," Laura said as she crouched down and started wrestling with the bottom branches. "she was really rude the first time we met, but she came back to say she was sorry. She's actually--" she grunted as she began to saw at the trunk. "really sweet."

"Sweet, huh?" Mel said, looking skeptical. "You called her a raging bad person the other day.” 

"Well, I did think that -- hold the top, it's starting to tip -- but then she--" Laura grunted, the saw's teeth getting caught. "brought me hot chocolate, and apologized." Laura stood up with a huff and cracked her back. She gripped a couple of the lower branches and began hauling it back to the trailer with Mel's help. 

Mel smiled mischeviously. "I think someone has a crush on broody mystery girl." 

Laura's head whipped around, her steps stumbling slightly. "I do not," she insisted. "and she's not a _mystery_ _girl_ , her name is Carmilla." 

"Oh yeah?" Mel asked as they hoofed the tree onto the trailer. "What does _Carmilla_ do?" 

Laura paused, her neck getting uncomfortably warm. "If you must know, she’s a composer. And a writer." 

Mel rolled her eyes. “How dramatic. You really know how to pick ‘em, Hollis.”

Laura rolled her eyes. "Speaking of girls," she said lightly, "How's Charlotte doing?" 

Mel glared at Laura, but Laura could see the faint blush on Mel's cheeks, and grinned.

//

Saturday, December 5th

_Carm 9:43 AM: Sell many trees today?_

_Cupcake 9:51 AM: So many_

_Cupcake 9:52 AM: there's so many people here_

_Carm 9:55 AM: well it is a Saturday. I'm sure the place is full of shrieking, sugar-high kids_

_Cupcake 9:57 AM: ugh Carm don't remind me. We're open late on weekends now too_

_Carm 9:58 AM: gee cupcake, I thought you loved your job_

_Cupcake 10:01 AM: I do!! But at this rate I'm not going to have time for lunch and I only had cereal this morning_

_Carm 10:10 AM: was it at least something with fiber?_

_Cupcake 10:14 AM: It was frootloops...._

———

Carmilla pulled into the parking lot of the tree farm and sat there for a moment, contemplating what was compelling her to keep coming back.

Laura.

That much was obvious. 

But...she thought it would be a lot longer before she found herself intrigued by someone again. 

She couldn’t help herself.

She finally got out of the car and grabbed the plastic bag that was on her passenger seat, and headed up the stairs out of the parking lot and up the path to the farm. 

Carmilla looked around, her eyes scanning the slightly overwhelming crowd until her eyes fell on a short green and red bedecked woman, and she hid her smile behind her scarf. 

She shook her head in disbelief. It'd only been over a week. She hardly knew anything about her.

Laura was standing across the courtyard by the balers, talking to a few customers as a dark skinned woman with a mane of curly brown hair handed a tree off to them.

Carmilla strode over, and bit back a smile as she watched Laura's face light up as Laura's eyes fell on her. 

"Carm!" Laura said excitedly. "What are you doing here? Didn't you have work today?" 

"I work from home mostly," Carmilla said with a shrug. She held up the plastic bag. "And you said you were hungry, so." 

"You brought me lunch?" Laura said, a disbelieving yet touched look on her face.

Carmilla shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Well we can't have you passing out now can we?"

The woman with the curly dark hair who stood beside Laura coughed loudly. "Why don't you go take your break Laura?" And promptly turned on her heel and walked towards the next customer. 

Carmilla raised an eyebrow and looked at Laura, who just giggled and beckoned for Carmilla to follow her. 

"Come on," Laura said with a smile, "we can go to my workshop."

———

"Come on in," Laura said, holding the door to her workshop open for Carmilla.

Carmilla stepped inside, her eyes sweeping the small space.

It was so...Laura. 

The small room was paneled in unfinished pine, shelves and pegs hung from the walls, heavy with a variety of scrapers and fine carving tools. A work bench was built into the wall at one end of the room, the surface littered with wood shavings and notebooks and pencils, and a well-worn stool sat in front of it. At the other end of the room was a tiny wood burning stove, a small pile of firewood and a basket of kindling beside it. A narrow ladder that sat up against the wall to the right of the door led to a tiny loft above them. The room smelled heavily of evergreen sap, seeing as there were at least three dozen small logs stored under the work bench as well as a basket full of cut branches beside it. Two comfortable looking wooden chairs sat under one of the curtainless windows, and the floor creaked beneath carmilla's boots. 

It was perfect. 

"Its not much, but it's my little place," Laura said with a shrug, hands fidgeting at Carmilla's silence after she closed the door behind them. She went over to the wood stove and put in a few pieces of kindling and a small log to get the fire going again. 

"Its...you," Carmilla said, eyes still traveling around the room. She came back to herself again at the sound of Laura dragging one of the chairs towards her workbench, and set down the bag on the tabletop. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got Chinese," Carmilla said, looking back to Laura to find Laura already looking at her with a soft smile. 

Carmilla’s stomach flipped. 

"That's so sweet Carm, thank you," Laura said, coming up to stand beside Carmilla. Laura took her hat and hoodie off, hanging them up on the hook on the back of the door.

Carmilla shrugged. "Well, like I said, can't have you passing out." 

Laura rolled her eyes. "Or you're just sweet."

"Unlikely," Carmilla deadpanned, an eyebrow raised. "I'll leave you to your lunch then, see you around cupcake."

"Hey wait," Laura said, "you're not going to eat with me? Unless you have somewhere to be, of course."

"I don't," Carmilla said, shaking her head. She smiled a little and stepped back towards Laura.

Laura grinned and pushed one of the chairs towards her, pulling her stool over with her foot, and then set about unpacking the takeout. 

"What do you make in here?" Carmilla asked, her eyes still roaming around the room as Laura handed her one of the takeout containers and a pair of chopsticks. She had just caught sight of the many little wooden baubles hanging from the ceiling under the loft.

"Um, some things I just make because I like to, but mostly ornaments and little trinkets that we sell in the gift shop. I try to make something out of every part of the tree, so whatever scraps or pre-cut trees we have left, I collect and let dry for the next winter season." Laura said with a shrug. "I used to just do it for my family, but dad said they'd sell at the gift shop, so it's a kind of a thing now." 

"That's amazing," Carmilla said with a soft smile. For the first time, Carmilla noticed the little nicks and the occasional white line of a healed scar on Laura's hands as Laura pulled her chopsticks from the paper sleeve and broke them apart. Hazards of the job it seemed. 

"You think?" Laura asked, looking a little surprised. "Its really just my me time, the fact that it sells is just a bonus."

"Yeah, I think so," Carmilla said, shrugging a shoulder as she unfolded the top to the container of fried rice.

"Thanks," Laura smiled, and dug into the food, humming quietly in contentment. 

//

Monday, December 7th

“Please don’t tell dad,” Laura grunted as Mel walked her into the family room at the back of the canteen and sat her down into a chair by the wood stove.

“Oh I’m not the one you need to worry about, Hollis,” Mel said as she walked towards the fridge for an ice pack. “I’d be more worried about Perry.”

“Oh god,” Laura whined, “Mel why did you take me to the canteen, I could have gone to my workshop—”

”Your workshop doesn’t have a couch, or ice packs,” Mel said as she tossed to ice pack to Laura.

”I could just use snow...” Laura grumbled as she bent over to untie her work boots.

“ _Laura!”_ Perry said, her voice an odd cross between worry and reproachfulness. “What did you do this time?” She asked, hurrying across the room.

“I’m fine Perry, I just tripped—” Laura started.

“A thirteen-foot balsam fell on her leg,” Mel interjected.

“A what??” Perry said, her eyes wide.

“Mel!” Laura squeaked. She looked at Perry. “Perry I’m fine, its fine I’ll be back on my feet in an hour I just need to rest for a little bit.”

“She’ll be fine, Lola, this isn’t the first time,” Mel said as she walked over to the coffee maker.

“What do you mean it’s not the first time—?” Perry spluttered, looking between the two of them.

Laura sighed, running a hand down her face. “Perry please,” she begged, “dad will try to wrap me in bubble wrap again if he finds out, please, I’l do whatever you want, just don’t tell dad.”

Perry leveled her with a scrutinizing look for a moment before nodding. “Alright,” She conceded, “but you’re going to stay off your feet, ice your ankle every twenty minutes, and take Advil when I tell you. Okay?”

Laura sighed. “Okay,” She grumbled.

Mel patted Laura’s shoulder as she headed for the door again, coffee in hand. “Good luck, Hollis.”

”That’s not fair, you get to leave!” Laura called after her, scowling. Laura sighed and sunk into the cushions, and a curious expression crossed her face when she felt her phone vibrate. She fished it out of her back pocket, and a smile tugged at her lips when she saw Carmilla’s name flash across the screen.

_Carm: are we still on for lunch?_

”Oh crap,” Laura whiled under her breath. Her and Carmilla had made plans to meet for lunch during Laura’s break. She checked her watch. In half an hour.

_Laura: Sure! But come to the back door of the canteen...I may have tweaked my ankle while I was taking a tree down this morning_

_Carm: careful there lumberjane, I like you in one piece_

_Laura: I’m still in one piece!_

Laura couldn’t help but smile at the nickname, and she sunk into the cushions a little further, blush creeping up her neck.

_Laura: I don’t mind the nickname by the way_

_Carm: I’ll keep that in mind then. See you soon lumberjane ;)_

———

Carmilla couldn’t help the worried twinge in her gut.

Which surprised her. Laura worked on a farm, small injuries were an occupational hazard. Not to mention the fact that Laura’s hobby also included various knives, which, based on the few scars Carmilla had seen, had bitten into her hands more than once. And a twisted ankle wasn’t really something to worry about so much.

But still, that unease persisted.

She didn’t like the idea of Laura getting hurt.

So much so, it seemed, that She couldn’t concentrate on the audio tracks she was trying to edit.

Grumbling to herself about getting soft, Carmilla pulled her boots on and headed towards the door of her apartment.

———

It took Carmilla a little while, but she finally found the back door of the canteen that led to the family room.

“Jesus cupcake, you said you tweaked your ankle, not broke it,” Carmilla said with a raised eyebrow as she entered the family room.

The family room was a decent size, paneled in honey colored pine, the floors worn and beaten up from years of use. There were a few threadbare rugs on the floor, the newest-looking one sitting in front of the wooden stove , which sat above a little flagstone patch on the floor. Christmas decorations covered the walls, and a tall Christmas tree stood in the corner by the door to the canteen.

Beside the wood stove sat an old squishy couch, and there sat Laura, with her foot up on the coffee table, nursing a mug of cider with an ice pack on her ankle.

“I didn’t break it!” Laura said, “I just—I tripped and the tree fell on my foot—”

Carmilla could now see a few scrapes across Laura’s cheek as Laura turned her head to look at her.

“Hey, relax cutie,” Carmilla said with a smirk, ignoring the faint tug of worry in her chest. She shook it off. “So, finally lost a wrestling match with a tree, huh?”

“Oh this isn’t the first time,” Perry interjected, setting the tray of sandwiches she was holding down onto the coffee table beside Laura’s ice pack-laden foot.

“Perry! Oh my gosh—” Laura groaned, burying her face in her hands.

The corner of Carmilla’s mouth quirked up a little as she saw blush crawl up Laura’s neck. She tried not to hope, though. The wood stove was less than five feet from Laura after all.

Perry ignored Laura and turned to Carmilla, looking businesslike. “Laura didn’t know what you liked so I thought two gobblers would be safe,” she turned to Laura, “stay off you foot and call me if you need something,” she said sternly, though not unkindly, before turning on her heel and heading back to the kitchen.

Carmilla raised an eyebrow as she looked back to Laura. Her eyes jumped to the two sandwiches wrapped in brown butcher paper that sat on the tray. “Do I dare ask what a ‘gobbler’ is?”

Laura’s eyes lit up again as Perry left the room, though her blush still tinged her cheeks. “It’s the best sandwich ever,” Laura said excitedly, awkwardly trying to situate herself to sit up properly. “It’s thanksgiving on a sandwich. Perry makes everything from scratch.”

Carmilla, a bit relived, sat down beside Laura and unwound her scarf. “Does she ever do anything besides cook?” She asked as she reached forward for one of the sandwiches to hand to Laura.

Laura shrugged a little as she unwrapped her sandwich. “She likes to knit. But cooking makes her happy. Our families go way back so when dad decided to add a canteen to the farm, he asked if she’d like to run the place,”

Carmilla nodded as she listened, pleasantly surprised by the steam rolling off the sandwich as she unwrapped it. It was positively freeing outside, and the warmth against her hands was welcome.

“So tell me about you,” Laura said suddenly, her eyes falling on Carmilla.

Carmilla looked up, a bit startled. “There’s not a whole lot to tell, sweetheart,” she said.

Laura, however, was not falling for her suave attempt at deflection. “I hardly know anything about you,” Laura said, giving her a determined look. “C’mon, what do you do besides work?”

Carmilla let out a dramatic sigh and shrugged a bit. “I read. I could be happy just cooped up with my books.”

Laura lit up. “What kind of books do you read?? Tolkien? Jane Austen??”

Carmilla found herself smiling at Laura’s enthusiasm, and she looked down at her lap for a moment. “Yes, and yes,” she said, “I minored in philosophy in college, I still have all the books I amassed. I started reading Camus for the fifth time last night,”

Laura’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Wow,” she said, impressed. “Which book is your favorite?”

Carmilla thought for a moment and then nodded to herself. “The Stranger. Camus.”

Laura nodded, thoughtful. “I live on books too, but I’ve never delved into philosophy. Maybe I should,” she said with a small smile.

———

Laura watched as a few other people filed into the family room as time wore on. She looked to Carmilla, who was nursing a mug of hot cider.

“Do you want to go to my workshop?” Laura asked, “it’s getting a little crowded in here.”

A look of concern crossed Carmilla’s face. “But your foot..?”

Laura shook her head and leaned over to start putting her boot back on. “I’ve had worse happen,” she said with a laugh. “Almost took my finger of with a band saw one time, my dad didn’t let me out of the house for a week—” She stopped short at Carmilla’s look of mixed bemusement and concern. “I’m fine, I promise.”

Carmilla watched her suspiciously for a moment, but then shrugged. “If you’re sure.”

“Positive,” Laura said brightly, and got to her feet. She tested her foot, gingerly putting her weight onto it, and then nodded to herself when she was met with only a dull ache. “I’m fine.”

Carmilla gave her a skeptical look, but followed her out of the canteen and towards her workshop.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Carmilla asked, eyeing Laura’s limp. She bit her lip, eyes flicking to Laura’s back, before putting a steadying hand on Laura’s back. When Laura didn’t protest, she moved her hand to Laura’s side, wrapping her arm around her.

Laura’s neck suddenly felt very warm beneath her scarf. “Positive,” She squeaked, though she leaned into Carmilla a little as they walked down the path.

———

Carmilla looked out the window of Laura’s workshop and sighed a bit. “I should head home,” she said, “it’s getting dark.”

Laura’s face fell a bit, but she nodded. “Okay,” she said with a sad smile. “Thanks for coming by, sorry I was a bit of a deadweight.”

“You weren’t,” Carmilla said, her brow furrowed. She hesitated for a moment before brushing Laura’s hair behind her ear, her thumb ghosting over the scratch on Laura’s cheek. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Carmilla saw flecks of gold in Laura’s eyes. She averted her eyes after a moment, and got to her feet reluctantly. “See you soon?”

Laura nodded, smiling a bit as she ignored the disappointed feeling in her gut. “Sounds good.”

Carmilla gave her a small wave, and stepped out the door.

Laura paused a moment before getting to her feet and hobbling as fast as she could towards the door.

“Carmilla?” She called, leaning on the door frame.

Carmilla turned, her footsteps pausing as she looked back to find Laura standing in the doorway to her workshop. “Miss me already?” She teased, smirking, though she trailed off at the serious, determined look on Laura’s face.

“Do you want to get a drink tomorrow night?” Laura asked, fingers nervously drumming on the doorframe. “Like...um...a date?”

Carmilla’s smirk softened as she raised a hand to shield her eyes from the late afternoon sun. “Yeah, I think I’d like that very much.”

Laura’s face broke into a radiant smile, and Carmilla felt warmth bloom in her chest. “Seven?” Laura asked.

Carmilla nodded. “I know a place. I’ll pick you up?”

———

"Something is on your mind, Carm," Mattie said from her place across the little bistro table. 

Carmilla looked up from where she’d been staring into her wine glass. "Nothing's on my mind," she lied, and set her glass down, picking up her fork and stabbing a piece of steak.

"You're a terrible liar," Mattie deadpanned. 

"I'm actually a fairly excellent liar," Carmilla countered. "...just not to you."

"What is it?" Mattie prodded again as she sat back in her chair, hands folded in her lap.

Carmilla sighed. "I've met someone. Sort of." Mattie raised an eyebrow. "She's the daughter of the owner of the tree farm will and I go to. I snapped at her when I went with Will to get his tree, and...I...felt bad, so I went back to apologize. Not a word," Carmilla said, holding a finger up to Mattie before she could say anything. Mattie just shrugged innocently. Carmilla paused for a long moment and let out a sigh. "I keep finding myself back there, and we keep...getting lunch together. Or dinner." 

"So what has you all hopelessly twisted in a knot?" Mattie asked, picking up her knife to cut a piece of steak. 

"She asked me out...I said yes." Carmilla said after heaving a breath. She was a little overwhelmed by the idea.

"Did you now?” Mattie grinned, immediately interested.

“Mattie, _please_ ,” Carmilla sighed, pausing as she reached for the wine bottle to refill her glass.

”What?” Mattie said innocently. Carmilla leveled her sister with an unimpressed look. Mattie rolled her eyes. “Well its about time, darling.”

"I don't know, Mattie," Carmilla said earnestly as she ran a hand through her hair. 

"Do you like her?"

Carmilla was quiet for a moment. "Yes," she said finally, "she's sweet, and curious, and kind. Beautiful. I like seeing her. I just...I don't know if I can put myself there again.”

"Bella," Mattie said, her voice unusually soft as she reached across the table to touch her sister's arm. "If you like her, take the chance. It's been two years. You can't wait forever.”

Carmilla was quiet as she looked at her sister, but she put her free hand over Mattie's. 

"You deserve to find someone who makes you happy," Mattie continued. "You know I don't put much stock in romance, but it means something to you. If you feel something, don't pass it up.”

//

Tuesday, December 8th

Laura had texted Carmilla that she would be waiting at the canteen.

Carmilla’s fingers nervously fidgeted with the zipper of her jacket as she trudged up the gravel path, Mattie’s words echoing in her head.

_If you feel something, don't pass it up._

Carmilla let out a slow breath, trying to ignore the persistent, nagging, foreboding feeling in the back of her head.

This was Laura. And they didn’t know each other well enough yet for anything major to happen. It would be fine.

Before Carmilla could open the door, it swung open, and in the doorway stood Laura, bathed in the warm light spilling out from the canteen. She was still in her familiar flannel, though this one was green, and newer than the red one Carmilla had seen her in before. Her jeans were tucked into boots like before, but like her flannel, these boots weren’t scuffed up and worn like her work boots.

her hair was in a braid that fell over her shoulder, and her smile nearly blinded Carmilla for a moment.

“Hey,” Laura grinned, but she looked down at herself when Carmilla didn’t respond immediately. “Sorry, I realized today that I kind of...don’t own anything nicer than this that isn’t super formal,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck bashfully.

“No, you look beautiful,” Carmilla said, her feet stopping before Laura. She paused for a moment before she leaned forward and kissed Laura’s cheek. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Laura said, still unable to wipe the grin off her face. “So um...ready?”

Carmilla nodded, and offered her arm. Laura reached for her jacket that hung beside the door and slipped it on before hooking her arm with Carmilla’s, and closing the door behind her.

“So where’s this mysterious place we’re going?” Laura asked.

“There’s a pub downtown, my brother owns it,” Carmilla started. “It’s usually quiet on weekdays. If you’re agreeable,” she gave Laura a sidelong smirk.

“Sounds great,” Laura grinned.

The two of them soon found themselves climbing out of Carmilla’s car on Main Street, and Laura’s smile widened at the garlands and lights that were wound around the lamp posts. Snow flurries had started falling while Carmilla drove, and they sparkled in the light from the lamps.

“This way,” Carmilla said, absentmindedly reaching for Laura, who took Carmilla’s hand without a thought. They were nearly halfway down the street when Carmilla realized that Laura’s fingers were laced with her own.

“So what’s your brother’s name?” Laura asked as they turned the corner and strode towards a heavy wooden door.

“William,” Carmilla said. “Will...Willy-Boy, take your pick. He hates when I call him Willy-Boy, but I can do what I want because I’m older,” she said with a wink. She reached forward and grasped the heavy iron door pull, and held the door open for Laura.

Warmth washed over them both as they entered the pub, and Laura smiled at the scene that unfolded before her. The pub wasn’t very big, the room a bit narrow and rather long. The bar stood to the right; warm, vintage-bulged lights hanging at intervals above the bar. Shelves of colorful bottles lined the exposed brick wall behind the bar, and dark wood and leather booths ran along the wall opposite the bar, those same lights hanging above each booth. The floor was creaky and well-worn, and Laura’s eyes were drawn towards the ceiling by the reflection of the light in the antique tin ceiling tiles. garlands hung around each door and window, and was draped along the back of the first booth in the row, and there was a Christmas tree in the far back corner near a tall brass pole that extended up and into the ceiling. White lights wound their way up each pole that extended toward the ceiling from each booth, and Christmas carols crooned softly over the speakers. A few of the booths were occupied, soft chatter filling the room.

“Wow,” Laura said as she looked around. “I can’t believe I haven’t been here before...how long has he had this place?”

”Three years almost,” Carmilla said as they walked towards the bar. “It used to be the garage of the fire station that was here. The building was abandoned when he found it.”

Laura was about to say something when they were interrupted by the bartender.

”Hey Kitty!” The man said happily as he threw a rag onto his shoulder, hands landing on the brass bar top. He was taller than Carmilla, but there was a boyish look about him that betrayed his age. He had the same dark hair and eyes, and pale skin as his sister.

“Will,” Carmilla scowled, but her expression softened at the smile Laura gave her.

“So who’s this, Kitty?” Will prodded, a look of mischief in his eye.

“This, Willy-Boy, is Laura,” Carmilla said, her hand falling to Laura’s lower back.

Will scowled. “I told you not to call me that,” he grumbled.

“Then don’t call me Kitty when I’m on a date,” Carmilla quipped. “We’ll be at my booth.”

“It’s nice meeting you, Will,” Laura smiled, waving a little as Carmilla led her to the booth at the back of the pub. “So this is your booth?” She asked as she shrugged her jacket off.

Carmilla nodded, taking Laura’s jacket and hanging it up on the pole after hanger her own up. “Yeah I sort of claimed it when I moved back here.”

“Wait, you grew up here?” Laura said, surprised. “I think I’d remember seeing you at school.”

“I didn’t grow up here,” Carmilla said, shaking her head. “My siblings and I moved here for college because the schools we wanted to go to were close by. I moved away with Elle after college but after we split, I suppose I just...wanted something familiar.”

Laura nodded. “I get that.”

Carmilla scowled at herself. “It’s been a while since I’ve been on a first date. I’m a bit...rusty.”

Laura shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I want to get to know you more,” she laid her hand on Carmilla’s, and Carmilla’s eyes flicked to their hands. She brushed her thumb along Laura’s, and when she looked up at Laura again, she was met with Laura’s hazel eyes shining in the low light, a soft smile on her face.

“Hey scary hottie!!”

Laura jumped, pulling her hand back, and Carmilla’s scowl returned, but this time it was directed at the large puppy of a man that was bounding over to their table with two beers in one hand and a basket of fries in the other.

“Kirsch I swear to god—” Carmilla growled, looking up at the man who towered over their table.

A sheepish look crossed his face. “Sorry scar— I mean Carmilla. Who’s this hottie?” He said, gesturing to Laura after he set down the two beers and the basket of fries.

“Kirsch—” Carmilla said again, annoyance on her face, but Laura cut her off.

“I’m Laura,” Laura said with a little wave. “And Carmilla’s right, that’s not the best thing to call people.”

“Oh, right, sorry,” he said. “Uh, Will sent this over, it’s on the house,” he said, and headed back to the bar with a cheery wave.

Carmilla sighed, shaking her head. “He’s harmless, just...dense.”

“It’s okay,” Laura said with a laugh as she reached for a French fry. “It’s...weirdly endearing?”

“I suppose,” Carmilla shrugged. “Maybe coming here wasn’t the best idea.”

Laura shook her head. “Hey, no, this is great, I...I’ve been curious about you. Seeing you with your brother was sweet.”

Carmilla gave Laura a sidelong smile and took a a sip of her beer. “Do you have siblings?”

Laura shook her head. “Nope. Only child with the world's biggest helicopter parent. My dad's a little intense sometimes.”

Carmilla hummed, smirking. “Well, should I ever meet him I promise to be on my best behavior.”

Laura laughed. “I think you probably will. I love him, he’s great but, y’know, if he could wrap me up in bubble wrap and keep me in a closet he would.”

Carmilla raised an eyebrow.

“Not—not that kind of closet—” Laura said quickly, frantically waving a hand. “That’s not an issue with him. He just, uh, would rather me be safe. A little too safe. Moving away for college was....interesting.”

Carmilla chuckled. “I’m sure.”

Hours passed and they found themselves finishing the third appetizer Kirsch had brought over, and Carmilla was far more relaxed than she expected. And it wasn’t the beer.

Laura looked towards the front of the bar, and she smiled when she saw the snow had started falling heavier.

She turned back to Carmilla. “Want to go for a walk?” Laura asked.

Carmilla glanced at the window and then downed the last sip of her drink. She nodded, and dropped a twenty onto the table before getting up to take their coats down. She held Laura’s coat open for her to slip into, and with a wave to Will, the two of them were out in the snow.

“Coffee?” Laura asked, looking to Carmilla.

Carmilla nodded, suddenly noticing that their hands were intertwined again. “I could go for coffee.”

the only sound around them besides distant chatter of people on the streets was the soft hiss of snow falling around them, catching the lamplight and glittering like glass.

“Oh no,” Laura groaned as they slowed to a stop in front of the darkened windows of the coffee shop. “I forgot they closed early on Tuesdays.”

Carmilla was quiet for a moment. “I have coffee at my apartment, if you’d like.”

Laura looked to her with a smile. That sounds great,” She said, “are you sure though? First date and all, y’know?”

Carmilla nodded. “I’m sure,” She said as they turned to head back to Carmilla’s car. “Besides, I’ve known you for a couple weeks, I’m almost certain you’re not an axe murderer.”

Laura gave her a mock gasp of offense and lightly smacked her arm. “I am not and you know it.”

———

“This is it,” Carmilla said as she held the door open for Laura. She dropped her keys on a small table by the door, and took Laura’s coat as she shrugged out of it.

Carmilla’s apartment was rather small, a little living room to the right of the door, and a postage stamp of a kitchen to the left. Laura smiled as they entered the living room from the tiny entryway. It looked like Carmilla. The floors were a dark cherry wood that matched the kitchen cabinets, the walls a soft off-white. The two rooms were open to each other, soft light spilling into the living room from the dim lights that shone from beneath the upper cabinets. The counters were a dark granite, and rather sparse save for a complicated looking coffee maker and espresso machine.

Laura watched Carmilla as she walked about the little living room, turning on a few lamps. There was a small, deep red couch on one wall, and an overflowing desk next to the wide, south facing window, in front of which sat a desk chair where Carmilla haphazardly tossed their jackets. There was a flatscreen mounted to the wall opposite the couch, and every other available wall was covered in bookshelves that were full to bursting, every little crevice utilized to fit whatever books it could. Above the shelves hung several posters and paintings, including some that looked rather old.

Laura was about to say something when the little circular black pillow on the couch grew a head and chirped at her.

“Who’s this?” Laura asked excitedly as she watched the little black cat uncurl itself, stretch languidly, and hop off the couch to investigate. Laura crouched down and offered her hand, and cooed delightfully when the little cat rubbed against her hand, accepting the scritches that Laura was offering. “She’s precious.”

“She’s more of a little shit, but sure,” Carmilla said as she made her way towards the kitchen. “Her name’s Bagheera.”

Laura looked over to Carmilla, straightening up after giving Bagheera one last pat on the head. “Bagheera? Like in The Jungle Book?”

“That’s the one,” Carmilla said as she pulled two mugs from the cabinet. “coffee or cocoa?”

“Cocoa,” Laura smiled as she leaned against the wall, watching as Carmilla pulled out a little sauce pan and then the milk from the fridge. “Carm you don’t have to do that, I don’t mind cocoa with water.”

Carmilla scoffed, shaking her head as she poured some milk into the pan before putting it back in the fridge. “Cocoa made with water is blasphemous. Besides, it’ll give me an excuse to finally use this pretentious ‘ _artisanal’_ cocoa Mattie brought back for me from Paris.”

”Who’s Mattie?” Laura asked, curious.

“Mattie’s my sister,” Carmilla explained, turning to the coffee machine as she waited for the milk to warm up. “she travels to Europe every few weeks for business, and she likes to shop.”

“Wow, nice sister,” Laura said as she took a closer look at the tin of cocoa. Turns out it wasn’t so much a powdered mix as it was shavings of gourmet chocolate.

”I would reserve your judgements for when you meet her, cutie,” Carmilla said with a laugh. She took the tin back from Laura and popped it open, spooning a few heaping tablespoons of chocolate into the pot as the milk began to simmer.

“Why?” Laura asked, giving Carmilla a curious look.

Carmilla thought for a moment. “She’s my sister, and I love her, but she can be a little intense.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, I can handle intense. I’ve known my dad for twenty-seven years. The man sent me to college with a softball bat, day-of-the-week bear spray, and a flip-phone because he was worried a smartphone would expose me to potential stalkers. And no, I wasn’t planning on trying out for the team.”

Carmilla gave Laura a bewildered look, pausing as she opened the bag of coffee. “Did you go to college in Montana?”

Laura gave her a deadpan look. “I was in New York City.”

Carmilla let out a low whistle. “Touché,” She conceded. “Mattie is a different kind of intense, but fair enough.”

Soon, the two of them were seated on the couch, coffee and cocoa in hand, and Bagheera between them, vying for both of their attention. Carmilla had put a record on the record player that sat on one of the shelves, quiet music floating through the air.

“She likes you,” carmilla said, watching as Bagheera pawed at Laura’s hand, trying to get Laura to keep petting her.

“She probably smells my cats,” Laura said with a laugh, giving in to Bagheera’s begging. She scratched behind Bagheera’s ear. “I’m pretty sure we’re up to half a dozen barn cats by now.”

“Oh?” Carmilla asked, taking a sip of coffee.

Laura nodded. “My mom was a sucker for stray cats. My dad is too, but he’ll never admit to it. Even though _he_ was the one building little heated shelters for them to sleep in. He cares about them but I know he keeps up with them as much as he does because it would make mom happy.”

Carmilla’s brow furrowed. “Would?”

“My mom passed away,” Laura explained. “God...fifteen years ago now. Car crash.”

Carmilla grimaced a little. “I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t know,” Laura said with a shrug, a little surprised at herself. Usually she couldn’t stand when people offered their condolences. Their pity. It still hurt, quite a lot, bu it wasn’t still the open wound people assumed it was. Carmilla’s offering didn’t feel patronizing though. It was sweet.

Carmilla nodded, her attention momentarily drawn to Bagheera, who was tapping her arm repeatedly.

“But yeah, they keep the mice down and the visitors love them,” Laura said with a shrug. “Especially Buggy, he’s quite the hunter.”

”How gruesome,” Carmilla teased.

“Well, I mean...circle of life, y’know?” Laura winced. “We try to bring whatever mice we find back out to the woods. One time Buggy was playing with a baby mouse, but I caught him before he could hurt it and kept him in my workshop for a few weeks. My dad didn’t know about that. Nick, on the other hand, is a horrible hunter.”

Carmilla barked out a laugh, which only grew at the floundering look on Laura’s face.

“Well he is!” Laura said, “He’s nearly eighteen pounds of solid muscle and he just doesn’t care about mice! He just watches them run around and goes back to sleep!”

“Interesting name for a cat,” Carmilla commented.

Laura laughed. “His name is actually St. Nicholas. He showed up around Christmas about eleven years ago.”

“Ah, a fitting name then,” Carmilla said, a mock look of wisdom on her face. “A pacifist saint.”

”Oh he is not a pacifist,” Laura said, shaking her head. “he likes to wrestle. I’m pretty sure I have more scars from him than I do from my tools,” she pulled up her sleeve and pointed out a rather long, pale line down the back of her forearm. “Also, excuse you, Bagheera isn’t a very common cat name either.”

“Bagheera is a perfect name for a cat,” Carmilla argued. “She is a sleek, powerful hunter.”

Laura narrowed her eyes, an amused smirk tugging at her lips. “Has she ever been outside?”

”Not once.”

———

Laura groaned as she looked at the clock. “I should probably get home before my dad has an aneurism, it’s almost midnight,” She sighed.

Carmilla felt a disappointed tug in her gut as she realized what time it was as well. “Alright,” She nodded.

The ride back to Laura’s house was quiet, but not awkward, the two of them sleepy from the late hour and the warm drinks. Laura directed Carmilla to the long driveway that led to the farmhouse. All too soon for Carmilla’s liking, they found themselves standing between Carmilla’s car and Laura’s truck, that conveniently shielded them from the living room windows. Laura had done this a few times before.

“Tonight was amazing, thank you,” Laura said, glancing down at their hands. She squeezed Carmilla’s hand. “Hey, um, I was thinking. Every year we do a big tree lighting a few weeks before Christmas. It’s this Friday, would you want to come by?”

“Yeah,” Carmilla said with a soft smile. “I’d like that.”

Laura beamed, and then caught her bottom lip between her teeth in apparent embarrassment at her own enthusiasm, and like every time before, Carmilla was struck still by her. Laura was bathed in soft blue light from the night sky, and warm light from the white Christmas lights that wound their way up every pole on the porch behind her. The snow had slowed to light flurries, and there were snowflakes caught in Laura’s eyelashes, her cheeks reddened from the cold.

Before Carmilla could think too much about what she was about to do, she leaned forward and kissed her, bringing her free hand up to cradle the back of Laura’s head.

Laura hesitated for a split second long enough to make Carmilla’s stomach drop, but relief washed over her when Laura kissed back, letting go of her hand to wind her arms around Carmilla’s neck. Carmilla gently nipped her lip, and couldn’t help but smile when she felt Laura laugh into the kiss.

The two broke apart after a moment, and Laura leaned her forehead against Carmilla’s.

“Was that okay?” Carmilla breathed after a moment. Her hands had fallen to Laura’s hips, her thumb rubbing along the coarse denim of Laura’s jacket.

Laura laughed again and pressed a quick kiss to Carmilla’s lips. “Way more than okay,” She said, unable to hold back her grin. “So...see you Friday?”

Carmilla nodded, unable to hold back her own smile. “Of course.”

“Text me when you get home?” Laura prodded, giving Carmilla a mock stern look.

Carmilla chuckled. “I will.”

Laura nodded. “Okay,” She bit her lip for a second and then leaned forward to hug Carmilla. “so...g’night, Carm.”

“Night, Laura,” Carmilla said with a soft smile, and kissed her cheek.

Reluctantly, Laura headed towards the house, and Carmilla watched her until she disappeared inside with a wave.

Carmilla stood there for a moment longer, watching as a few lamps were switched on inside before she got back into her car. She sank into her seat with a long sigh, and as she ran a hand though her hair, she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face.

//

Friday, December 11th

“Fancy seeing you here, cutie,” Carmilla said with a smirk, her voice low.

Laura spun around with a gasp, a few wax-paper-wrapped cookies falling to the ground from the box she held.

”Carm!” Laura laughed once she saw who it was. “C’mon, you made me drop the cookies!”

Carmilla leaned over and gathered the few that had fallen, and placed them back in the box. “Hey,” She said, tucking a strand of Laura’s hair behind her ear.

“Hey,” Laura grinned. She bit her lip and glanced at Carmilla’s before leaning forward to kiss her. “I uh...I like being able to do that,” She said bashfully.

“I like it too,” Carmilla looked around a bit. “I got here a little early.”

it was nearing four in the afternoon with dusk just starting to fall. The huge tree that stood by the barn near the canteen was encrusted in Christmas lights, but currently dark in preparation for the tree lighting. All the other lights were on and twinkling in the quickly receding daylight. People were everywhere, children and families and groups of friends running about, much like any other day at the farm, but there was a feeling of anticipation in the air, nervous excitement.

“That’s alright,” Laura said with a smile. “Why don’t you pick a good spot and I’ll meet you in a little bit?”

“You can’t sneak away a little early?” Carmilla prodded, her hands falling to Laura’s hips. The box of cookies between them was becoming a problem as far as Carmilla was concerned.

“I can’t, I’m sorry,” Laura groaned, leaning her head against Carmilla’s. She kissed her cheek. “Just give me twenty minutes okay? Just gotta get rid of the rest of these cookies.”

“Fine,” Carmilla said with an exaggerated sigh. “I’ll meet you by the stone wall?”

“Sounds good,” Laura grinned, and handed a few cookies to Carmilla. “On the house,” she said with a wink, and disappeared into the crowd.

Carmilla shook her head with a smile, and wandered off towards the stone wall by the tree.

It didn’t take long for Laura to run out of cookies, and she hurried back towards the tree, looking around for Carmilla. She finally caught sight of Carmilla’s red scarf and hurried over, smiling.

“Good spot,” Laura smiled, sitting next to Carmilla. “Though we’ll probably have to stand if we want to see anything, especially the band,” she said, gesturing behind her where a small quartet was working on the final touches of setting up.

“I can do that,” Carmilla said with a shrug, and stood, holding out a cookie to Laura.

Laura took it and unwrapped it, offering a piece to Carmilla before she bit into it.

Carmilla reached for Laura’s hand, and her brow furrowed in concern when she felt how cold Laura’s hands were. “Your hands are like ice,” She said, taking Laura’s hand between her own.

Laura looked down at their joined hands, stuffing the now empty cookie wrapper into the pocket of her jeans. “Oh...I hadn’t noticed, sorry,” she said, and went to pull her hand away, but Carmilla’s grip tightened.

Instead, Carmilla rubbed Laura’s hand between her own for a moment, before stepping behind Laura, wrapping her arms around her. She took Laura’s hands in her own and tucked them into the front pocket of Laura’s sweatshirt. “How’s that?” Carmilla asked, resting her chin on Laura’s shoulder.

Laura’s stomach flipped, and she squeezed Carmilla’s hands, leaning back into her. “Perfect,” She whispered.

Soon, everyone was gathered around the tree, and the music that normally played from the speakers was switched off, as well as most of the Christmas lights around the courtyard. A tall man in a red plaid shirt, heavy boots, jeans, and an impressively authentic looking Santa hat came bounding up the stairs to the gazebo, and waved to the crowd, a big smile on his face.

“Happy holidays everyone!” He said happily into the mic. The crowd responded with a cheer, and he continued on, introducing the band and thanking everyone for coming to the farm.

“Is that the big man himself?” Carmilla murmured in Laura’s ear.

“If you mean my dad, then yes,” Laura laughed. “He loves talking to crowds.”

“I can tell,” Carmilla smirked.

Carmilla tried to concentrate on he was saying but she could really only focus on Laura pressed up against her. Laura’s hands were warm now, and it seemed like she didn’t noticed that she’d been stroking Carmilla’s hand with her thumb for the last ten minutes. There were little bits of sawdust on Laura’s sweatshirt, a few pine needles in her hair, and she smelled like the woods.

This wasn’t the first time that Carmilla had been in this position. Elle had been just as small as Laura, but this was...much different. She couldn’t put her finger on how just yet, but it was different. A good different. She wrapped her arms a little tighter around Laura when Laura sighed, sinking into her further, bumping her head gently against Carmilla’s.

“I was thinking,” Laura said, shifting slightly to look at Carmilla out of the corner of her eye. “Do you want to have dinner after this?”

Carmilla nodded. “I could go for some of Suzy Homemaker’s soup,” she said.

“Oh, the canteen actually isn’t open Friday nights. Or Friday afternoons, really,” Laura explained. “Perry closes up early so she can go home for Shabbat, but since we have an event going on, dad hired a food truck. How do you feel about chili?”

“I can do chili,” Carmilla said, but she was cut off as suddenly all the lights when out at once.

Around them, the crowd began to count down from five, and Laura squeezed Carmilla’s hands tight. Suddenly, the tree was illuminated by thousands of little multicolored lights, a huge star sitting atop the tree, shining light across the courtyard. The lights under the roof of the gazebo flipped on as well, and the band began playing, and Laura turned, surprising Carmilla with a kiss.

———

After a while the crowd had dispersed somewhat, some sticking around to dance as the band played, and some scattering off in search of food and hot drinks.

Laura and Carmilla were no different, heading towards one of the food trucks.

“What do you feel like?” Laura asked, scanning the menu.

“Hmm....surprise me,” Carmilla said, a flicker of amusement in her eyes.

Laura gave her a mischievous, yet determined look. “Challenge accepted,” she said, then stepped forward and ordered.

Carmilla watched, amused, as Laura pointed to several things on the menu, and then returned to Carmilla and held out a beer.

“It’ll be a couple minutes,” Laura said, pulling a bottle opener out of her pocket and handing it to Carmilla once her own beer was open. “I remember Kirsch gave you a stout, is that okay?”

“It’s perfect,” Carmilla said. She handed the bottle opener back to Laura when she was done, and looked around the courtyard. “I can’t believe I’ve never been here at night before....Will would love this.”

“Bring him sometime, if you want,” Laura smiled, taking a sip. “The band plays here every few nights up until Christmas.”

“Maybe I will,” Carmilla nodded.

Soon, Laura was called over to collect their food, and they settled on the stone wall by the fire to eat. Laura had ordered them two kinds of chili, fries, and tortilla chips for dipping.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had this truck here,” Laura said excitedly, handing a spoon to Carmilla. “Careful, that one’s spicy,” she warned when Carmilla went to dip a fry into the other bowl of chili.

“I’ll survive,” Carmilla said with a roll of her eyes.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Laura said with a shrug.

After about ten minutes, Carmilla had chugged half of her beer and was pointedly ignoring the fact that her face felt like it was on fire.

So, you want to go for a walk?” Laura asked, stretching a bit with a sigh. Between the hot food and the stout, she was feeling rather content.

“Yeah,” Carmilla nodded, tossing her empty bottle in the recycling bin by the food truck. “Lead the way, Lumberjane.”

Laura rolled her eyes affectionately, but took Carmilla’s hand in her own and started towards one of her favorite paths.

They wound their way through the trees, Laura doing most of the talking as Carmilla listened with a little smile. They were far enough away from the courtyard now that they could barely hear the chatter, but they could occasionally hear the band.

“So...I feel like you’re always coming to me, do you want to go somewhere else sometime?” Laura asked, swinging their joined hands absently.

Carmilla shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s been nice to have a change of scenery,” she said, “I don’t mind coming here,”

“Are you sure?” Laura asked, her brow furrowed. “I know it can be a lot to take in sometimes...and you mentioned that Christmas isn’t really your thing anymore...”

Carmilla shook her head. “I’m sure, sweetheart. If I think of something, I’ll tell you. I promise.”

Laura nodded. “Okay,” she said with a small smile. “I just don’t want you to get bored, y’know?”

Carmilla breathed out a laugh. “I don’t think I could get bored around you,” she said, shaking her head. “You’re very intriguing.”

“I think that’s a flattering way to say ‘odd,’” Laura said with a laugh.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Carmilla countered, but she smiled when Laura gave her a look. “Okay, maybe, but it’s endearing. I’m curious about you.”

“I could say the same about you,” Laura smirked. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Carmilla’s lips. “I feel like I know you, but I also feel like I don’t. It’s frustrating.” Laura said, her nose crinkling in frustration.

Carmilla laughed and leaned in to kiss her again. “All shall be revealed in time, _liebling_.”

Laura watched as an odd look flashed over Carmilla’s face but it was gone as fast as it came. She was soon distracted though, as Carmilla cradled the back of her head, fingers tangling in Laura’s hair as she pulled her in for a kiss.

—————

Carmilla watched from her car again as Laura slipped inside with a wave, and like before, she watched a moment longer before climbing back into her car and sinking into her seat. She leaned forward and leaned her forehead against the steering wheel.

“What am I doing...” she muttered to herself, her eyes closed.

//

Tuesday, December 15th

“So...” Danny began as her and Laura began unloading firewood from her horse drawn cart. “I hear you’re all googoo eyes over some broody musician that’s been hanging around the place.”

“Oh my god, who told you?” Laura asked with a sigh, rolling her eyes. “And she hasn’t been _hanging around_ , she’s been coming by to see me. You make her sound like a creep.”

“Perry told me,” Danny said with a grin. “So...” she hissed under her breath as a splinter worked it’s way into her glove. She shook her hand after pulling the splinter from her glove. “I request details.”

Laura shrugged. “She’s really sweet, Danny, and _interesting._ I haven’t totally figured her out yet but there’s so much _there._ She’s a composer, she plays the cello. She has an adorable little black cat.”

Danny nodded. “The cat is a good sign,” she handed another log to Laura.

“Right?” Laura agreed, grunting as she hoofed the log up onto the pile. She took a breath. “I like her a lot. I want to do something nice for her. She said her and her brother used to go wild on Christmas, but it’s been hard for her to be excited about it since her and her ex broke up.”

Danny paused as she went to reach for another long. “Hang on a second—”

“Hey, hey, hang on, I know what that sounds like,” Laura said, holding up a finger. “She’s not hung up on her ex. I can tell. She said so, too.”

Danny gave her a skeptical look. “If you’re sure,” she said, nodding a bit. “I’ll take your word for it. What do you want to do for her?”

Laura shrugged. “I don’t _know,_ that’s the problem. We usually just get something to eat and walk around the farm and I’m worried she’s getting bored...” Laura leaned against the stack of wood with a sigh. “She said she isn’t, but...” Laura looked past Danny as she trailed off, a thought forming. And then her eyes fell on Danny’s horse, and a smile slowly spread across her face. “Wait, I think I got it!”

//

Saturday, December 19th

It really was becoming a little odd how well Carmilla was getting to know the farm.

Laura had texted her the night before, asking Carmilla to meet her by the horse barn at five in the evening, and she hadn’t answered any of Carmilla’s questions, only responding with a winking emoji.

Carmilla, curious, had wound up getting to the farm a little early.

Her hands were stuffed in her pockets, and she blinked against the snow as she neared the main tree barn, but she was jarred from her train of though when she heard a shriek that sounded horribly like Laura.

Carmilla ran towards it, but what she saw left a pit in her stomach very different from the one she was expecting.

She saw Laura in front of the tree barn, but she was being held by a tall woman, who was currently spinning her around bridal style. Laura was laughing gleefully, squirming in the woman’s arms until she was set back on her feet. She watched as Laura stretched up on her toes and reached up for the woman like she was about to cradle her face.

When Laura’s gloved hands did just that and tugged the woman down to her, Carmilla bolted.

The icy pit in her stomach spread to her chest, branching out through her veins, and all she could do was run back to her car. She didn’t notice anything around her, not even the icy wind that blew her jacket open. She was suddenly in the drivers seat of her little black sedan, gripping the steering wheel, her teeth clenched.

_“Such a fool,”_ she whispered to herself.

She sat there in the quiet for a moment before turning the key and pulling out of the parking lot.

———

Laura looked at her phone.

It was five thirty. Carmilla should have been there by now. She looked around, nerves starting to make her stomach queasy.

_Laura: Hey! Just want to make sure you’re okay_

Another fifteen minutes passed and Carmilla still wasn’t anywhere to be found.

The stone wall that butted up against the horse barn was getting rather cold, and the snow had stopped, and Laura’s worry grew.

Carmilla was never late.

She pulled out her phone again

_Laura: Carm, you okay? Call me?_

Six fifteen rolled around.

Still nothing.

Ignoring the lump in her throat, Laura raised her phone to her ear after dialing Carmilla’s number. Several rings later, she was met with Carmilla's generic voicemail message.

“Hey, Carm, I just want to make sure you’re okay, please call me? I’m worried, you never just don’t show up...just...just call me.” Laura hit the end call button, and jammed her hands back into her pockets.

The lump in Laura’s throat grew, but she pushed it down. Carmilla would show. She never didn’t show up. She’s been excited for the surprise Laura had teased her about. She’d said so.

Carmilla was fine, she’s show up any minute.

It was nearing eight o’clock when Laura finally slid off the stone wall and headed back into the barn to make sure the horses were settled for the night. She added some feed to a few of their stalls, and then pulled the tall sliding doors closed, locking them.

Laura glanced towards the parking lot one last time, unable to hold black the few tears that slipped down her cheeks, and headed back to the house, her head bowed against the cold wind.

——————

Carmilla watched her phone repeatedly light up from where she sat on her couch, tumbler of scotch in hand. She’d looked at the first text, and that icy feeling had only sunk deeper into her bones.

She drained the last bit of scotch from her glass. She reached forward to shut the ringer off, and got up to go to bed, leaving her phone on the coffee table.

Carmilla looked back to where Bagheera was sitting on the couch, watching her intently, but not moving to follow Carmilla to bed like she usually did.

“You too, huh?” Carmilla asked, and set her empty glass on the counter before heading down the hall to her bedroom.

//

Sunday, December 20th

It was nine in the morning, and Laura couldn’t take it any longer.

Carmilla had never answered her. No call. No text.

Nothing.

Laura had barely slept, and she couldn’t take not knowing if Carmilla was okay any longer. She pulled on her boots, grabbed her keys, and headed for her truck.

———

Carmilla was not expecting a knock at her door.

She set her coffee down, confused, and headed towards the door to open.

She was especially not expecting to find Laura on the other side of her door.

Laura was a wreck.

She looked exhausted, still in sweatpants and a tshirt, her feet shoved into an old pair of boots. Her hair was thrown in a messy braid, her eyes red and puffy.

“Carm!” Laura gasped, and rushed forward to hug her. Carmilla stiffened as Laura wrapped her arms around her, and she hated how much it hurt to not respond to it.

Laura pulled back, looking confused, hurt flashing in her eyes. “You didn’t show up last night...I called you a million times, is everything okay? I thought something happened, I thought you got hurt—” the hurt look on her face deepened as she watched Carmilla’s stony, face, her cold eyes. “I...I had a surprise for you...”

Carmilla barked out a cold laugh. “Oh, yeah, I showed up and what a _surprise_ I got.”

Laura looked like she’d been slapped. “What do you mean? You were at the farm? I didn’t see you, I waited for hours by the barn,” Laura said, shaking her head. “Did you leave? I don’t—”

“I don’t expect that you would have seen,” Carmilla shrugged, her voice light but laced with ice. “You were pretty busy with your girlfriend there.”

Laura’s confusion deepened, frustration seeping into her voice, her shoulders hunching. “Girlfriend?? What?? I’ve only been seeing you—”

“Well you might want to tell the beanpole that,” Carmilla scoffed, crossing her arms. Her eyes were piercing and unnervingly emotionless.

Laura was startled, that lump rising in her throat again. She’d never seen Carmilla like this. Even that first day when Carmilla had snapped at her, she wasn’t like this.

“Beanpole??” Laura asked. She wracked her brain. “Wait, you mean Danny??”

“Apparently so, that gargantuan redhead.” Carmilla shrugged. “She was spinning you around, you were _giggling_. It was all rather romantic, even before you kissed her.”

———

_Laura shrieked, her foot slipping on the ladder as she reached to put the star on top of the tree. She fell backwards, her hands flailing for something to grab onto._

_“I got you!” Danny said, shifting to catch Laura bridal style. She grunted as Laura fell into her arms. “You klutz!” She grinned, and spun her around in circles a few times._

_“Hey, Danny, stop it!!” Laura laughed, wiggling in her arms. “Danny you’re gonna make me hurl—!”_

_“Alright, fine,” Danny sighed, slowing to a stop and setting Laura back onto her feet again. She held her hands to Laura’s hips for a moment, making sure she was steady on her feet. “You’re all gross and sweaty and covered in sap now,” she said, wrinkling her nose as she picked some pine needles out of Laura’s hair and tries to tame her mussed locks._

_Laura batted Danny’s hands away. “What? You don’t think I’m adorable? Carmilla thinks I am—” Laura grinned, reaching her sap-covered gloves towards Danny’s face._

_“Hey, no, cut it out!” Danny laughed, smacking at Laura’s hands, backing up._

_“What??” Laura crooned, “C’mon you don’t wanna kiss me??” She teased, chasing after Danny now._

_“Ew, Laura stop it!!” Danny shrieked, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes as she laughed. “LAURA!” she screeched, as Laura succeeded in sticking her sap-covered gloves to Danny’s face._

———

Laura’s mouth was agape. “Are you serious??” She said, disbelief in her eyes. “We were joking around, I don’t know what you _think_ you saw—”

“Oh I know exactly what I saw,” Carmilla said, that acidic bite in her voice only growing stronger. “I know we haven’t talked about whether or not this was exclusive, but I thought we were on the same page. Seems not, though.”

Anger was beginning to creep into Laura’s eyes, her teeth clenched. “We _are_ on the same page. Or we _were.”_ She said, crossing her arms. “I haven’t been seeing anyone else besides you. Even before you, I hadn’t dated in months.”

“Well, seems like Ginger there would be happy to swoop in now. Not that she had a problem last night.” Carmilla said, pointedly ignoring the growing pain in her gut as she watched Laura’s tired eyes well up.

“God, why does everyone and their _mother_ think Danny and I should be together??” Laura hissed, her anger apparent in her voice. “I’ve known Danny all my life, her family owns the farm down the road from us. Sure, fine, I had a crush on her when I was _twelve_. We kissed, it was weird, and a little gross and that was the end of it. Danny’s great but I don’t like her like that. And, besides, Danny has her eye on someone else. I don’t _want_ Danny, okay? I wanted _you.”_

Carmilla actually took a step back, looking like she’d gotten slapped. She suddenly felt sick, her carefully constructed blank expression cracking.

“God, I can’t believe I was worried about you.” Laura spat, and turned, hurrying down the stairs towards her truck.

———

Laura climbed into the cab of her truck and slammed the door, heaving a few deep breaths as she tried to choke back a sob. She turned the ignition and screeched out of the parking space, her wheels spinning in the snow for a moment before gaining traction.

Automatically, the radio came on and Jingle Bell Rock began to play. Cursing under her breath, Laura jabbed the audio button, cutting the song off as she drove down the road.

She pulled into the driveway in front of the farm house before long, and sat with her truck running for a few minutes. She looked in her visor mirror, resigning herself to the fact that there was no way she was going to be able to slip by Sherman unnoticed. She wiped furiously at her eyes, trying to at least stem the tears that had been carving tracks down her face, and took a few steadying breaths before hopping down from the truck cab.

“Hey pumpkin, is everything okay?” Sherman asked, looking up from his laptop as Laura stormed into the house, roughly kicking her boots off.

“Everything’s _perfect.”_ Laura grumbled under her breath as she stalked upstairs to her room.

———

Laura looked up from her cocoa as she heard a knock at the door. She glanced back at the tv, which had been playing old Buffy reruns since Sherman had left three hours earlier. He was headed towards New York City with a truckload of trees for the tree vendors on the street that represented their farm. He’d asked her no less than five times if she wanted to come with him to get her mind off things, but she’d insisted on staying home. She said that she wanted to keep an eye on the farm while he was away, but she also just wanted some time alone.

With a sigh, she hauled herself up off the couch, and headed towards the door.

“Carm?” She said, surprised, her voice small.

Carmilla looked up from her feet. She was dressed how she usually was, in her familiar black boots and leather. The red rose wrapped in brown paper was different, though.

Carmilla’s heart shattered at the sight before her.

Laura looked even more exhausted than she did earlier.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, even more so than they were that morning. Her hair was tied back and damp from a shower, and she was dressed in a different tshirt and sweats, an oversized knitted cardigan and socks. The look on her face was timid, and more sad than angry, but Carmilla could still see the flicker of anger in her eyes.

Carmilla swallowed. “Can we talk?” She croaked. She held out the rose, and she felt a tiny spark of hope in her chest when Laura hesitantly took it. 

Laura shrugged, and turned to walk back into the living room, but she left the door open for Carmilla to enter.

Carmilla crossed the threshold, closing the door softly behind her. She looked around, taking the room in.

The room was paneled in horizontal slats of honey colored pine, the floors a similar worn, wide-planked wood as the canteen, but covered in various mismatched rugs. A squishy, comfortable-looking deep green sectional couch sat to the left of the door, a dark wood and iron coffee table in front of it.

In the corner beside the other end of the couch was a huge Christmas tree, decked to the nines with all sorts of decorations and lights, and impressive star on top. Buffy was still playing on the tv that was situated across from the couch, though it was muted now. Pine garland and colored lights sound their way up the bannister of the stairs by the breakfast bar in the kitchen.

“I...I’m sorry,” Carmilla offered, looking at a loss for words. Her plan hadn’t really gone past just trying to see Laura. “I can explain...if you want.”

Laura shrugged a shoulder, her eyes glancing down at the rose in her hand. “Go ahead,” she said, her voice small.

She stood almost across the room from Carmilla, her back leaning against the counter of the breakfast bar. Carmilla hadn’t moved from her place standing on the door mat.

“I told you about my ex,” Carmilla said with a sigh. “I...I don’t love her anymore. Please don’t think this is because I want her.” she gave Laura a pleading look. She grimaced, her hands nervously tugging at the ends of her hair. “We were together for five years...we met in college, and we were planning a life together. I thought I was going to be with her for the rest of my life. She loved Christmas, it was her favorite time of year. We always spent Christmas Eve at her parents house. They threw a big party every year.” Carmilla said quickly, and swallowed. “Two years ago, I planned to propose...I was going to do it on Christmas Eve, I thought she would love it. On the deck, where we could get a moment alone. I proposed, and...she said no. She said she wasn’t ready for marriage, for that kind of commitment. We’d been together for five years, we’d _talked_ about it. I didn’t think it was so unexpected a question.” Carmilla shrugged a little, pain in her eyes.

Laura hated that her first instinct was to go to Carmilla, to comfort her. She clenched her teeth, but her eyes never left Carmilla’s.

“She said no, and she said that she wanted to go home. I said I would drive her, but she had taken her own car there because he had to stop at work before the party. She told me to stay here and hang out with Will and Mattie, that she just wanted some time to herself.” Carmilla shoved her hands into her pockets, sighing. “So I did. Will eventually found me on the deck and he dragged me inside to get a drink. I went home after a couple hours, and she was gone. Most of her stuff was gone too.”

The pit in Laura’s stomach grew, and it was getting harder to resist going to Carmilla, but she made herself stay where she was. There was still anger in that pit in her stomach.

“She came back a few days later to get the rest of her things. I didn’t know where she was staying for those few days...it wasn’t with her parents because I went there looking for her.” She let out a slow breath. “I was a wreck for a long time. I wasn’t writing music, I wasn’t going out.” Carmilla leaned against the door, and Laura watched as she struggled to form words. “I was starting to do okay again by the end of last year, I was going back to normal as best I could. But I saw in the paper, a few days after last Christmas...she’d gotten married to another woman, on Christmas Eve. The blurb said that her and this other woman had been together for two years.”

Confusion flashed over Laura’s face. “Two years?” She asked, her mental cogs turning. “But that means...oh god, Carm—”

Carmilla nodded. “I assume now that when she bolted, she went to stay with her _other_ girlfriend,” Carmilla said with a humorless laugh. She sighed. “It tore the wound open. I haven’t dated anyone since she left me.”

Laura was hanging on by a thread, holding back tears at the look on Carmilla’s face. It made sense, now, but it didn’t hurt any less.

“I talked to Mattie after you asked me out,” Carmilla said, shaking her head. “She can read me like a book. She knew I liked you, and she told me to follow it, even though I was petrified.” She crossed her arms, looking exceedingly uncomfortable. “It surprised me how fast I...fell into your orbit. I didn’t think I could do that again. But then I found myself at the farm more and more, and I just wanted to see you. And then I called you _liebling,_ and I meant it, and that spooked me because I used to call Elle that. But I _meant it_. And then I saw you with the ginger and I...I panicked,” She shook her head. “It’s...not an excuse, but you deserve to know why I was such an asshole this morning. And last night.”

Laura rubbed the cuff of her sweater against her cheek, brushing away a few stray tears. Carmilla looked so small, hugging herself by the door. She finally broke, and stepped forward. She tilted Carmilla’s chin up, brushing away the few tears that Carmilla had tried so hard to hold back.

“Just talk to me, okay?” Laura asked, her hands falling to Carmilla’s arms. She gently pried them apart, and laced her fingers with Carmilla’s. “Please...I like you too. So much. I’m upset, like, really kind of upset because that hurt a lot this morning.”

Carmilla winced, shaking her head. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I...I don’t expect anything from you. I’m not so shallow to think that this fixes what I did, I just...I wanted you to know.”

“I get it, y’know?” Laura said, squeezing Carmilla’s hands. “I haven’t dated in a long time either, and my last girlfriend at the end there...really wasn’t a peach.”

Carmilla couldn’t help the watery laugh that escaped her at the sight of Laura’s half-smirk and raised eyebrow.

“But...I was really excited about you. I _am_ really excited about you. Just...let me in, please?”

Carmilla nodded, the little spark of hope in her chest growing. “Can I try to fix this?” Carmilla asked, searching Laura’s eyes. They were a deep green at the moment, little flecks of gold shining in them, much like the tree across the room.

Laura nodded after a moment. “Yeah,” she nodded. She thought for a moment, and then seemed to come to a conclusion. “Do you want to see what I had planned for last night?”

“I’m not so sure I deserve to, but yes,” Carmilla said with a nod.

“Wait here,” Laura said, and paused for a moment before kissing Carmilla’s cheek and running upstairs.

Laura returned a while later, properly dressed for the cold, her hair now dry and spilling out from under her grey beanie. She was dressed in her familiar jeans and work boots, her hoodie and jean jacket, and she paused in front of Carmilla.

“Do you want to borrow a jacket? It’s going to be freezing.”

Carmilla shrugged. “I’ll survive.”

“Okay,” Laura said, “but I want to remind you that that’s what you said about the chili.”

———

Laura had asked Carmilla to wait again outside of the horse barn as she went in to prepare whatever she had prepared last night.

Guilt still weighed heavily in Carmilla’s chest, but it was soothed ever so slightly by the fact that Laura hadn’t completely written her off right away.

She should have, though.

Soon, Laura slipped out between the huge sliding doors, and smiled at Carmilla.

“Close your eyes,” Laura said.

“Should I be worried?” Carmilla asked, raising an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t fault you for throwing horse shit at me but I’m not thrilled about the idea—”

“Oh my god, would you just close your eyes,” Laura said, looking exasperated. “It’s better to see the whole thing at once.”

“Whatever you say,” Carmilla said, and dutifully closed her eyes. She heard the scraping sound of Laura pushing aside teach door, Laura’s grunt as she threw her weight into it.

“Damn rusty tracks...” Laura muttered under her breath. “Okay,” she said, “you can look!”

Carmilla opened her eyes, and her face fell slack in shock.

Before her stood probably one of the biggest horses Carmilla had ever seen. She was groomed meticulously, and was decked out in a red leather harness, bells attached anywhere there was room. But what really caught her eye, was the sleigh that was hitched to the horse.

It was a dark, forest green, clearly an antique, but in beautiful condition. Red and gold pin striping adorned the sides, and there were intricate carvings on the front and back. A leather seat was set deep in the back of the sleigh, and Christmas lights were attached to the outer rim.

“This is...breathtaking,” Carmilla said, completely in awe. She stepped forward, running her hand along the horses flank as her eyes roamed over the sleigh. “God, I am such an asshole...” she muttered to herself.

“Hey,” Laura said, taking Carmilla’s hand. “It really did kinda suck to wait out here for...three hours...for you, but...I still wanted you to see it. I still want to see _you,_ if you want to see me.”

“Of course I do,” Carmilla said, turning to look at Laura. “Laura, I...I’m sorry,” Carmilla looked like she was floundering, even more so than she was when she first showed up. But that look was only in her eyes, in the tension of Carmilla’s hand in Laura's. Her poker face was rather impressive.

“I know,” Laura nodded. “I’m not going to say its okay, because it wasn’t, but I’m also sorry that I hadn’t mentioned Danny before. It never crossed my mind because...nothing’s there. We just tease each other about it because people won’t leave us alone because they think we should be dating.” Laura rubbed the back of her neck. “But, y’know...I want _you._ Not Danny.”

Carmilla nodded. “I want you too,” she said, her small smile a bit wobbly.

Laura squeezed her hand, smiling as well.

“Hop in, then.”

Laura hopped up into the sleigh and held her hand out for Carmilla, who gladly took it, hauling herself up. Laura sat to the right and began unfolding a thick blanket and holding one end of it up to drape over Carmilla.

“So how did Helicopter Dad let you learn to drive a sleigh?” Carmilla asked, taking the corner of the blanket from Laura and draping it over her lap. It was a deep red, a cable design knitted along its length.

Laura shrugged a little. “Mom convinced him shortly after convincing him to teach me to ride the horses.”

Carmilla chuckled, and watched as Laura took the reigns, snapping them gently. The sleigh lurched slightly and Carmilla’s hand landed on Laura’s thigh. She went to pull her hand back, but Laura laid her own atop Carmilla’s.

“It’s okay,” she said, “you can leave it, if you want,” she gave Carmilla a small smile.

Carmilla returned it, and gently squeezed Laura’s thigh, keeping her hand where it was.

Laura’s gaze turned forward again as she guided the horse towards a trail near the farm house. “There’s acres of this place you haven’t seen yet,” Laura said with a smile. “We kept the horse paths—Dad prefers using the horses over trucks.”

“I never realized how big this place is,” Carmilla said, looking around as they drew further away from the main hub of the farm.

“Dad’s expanded a few times,” Laura explained. “Some developers had their eyes on some cheap land nearby so dad bought it. We didn’t even plant much on it, it was mostly woods, he just didn’t want them to cut all the trees down.”

Carmilla smiled a little. “The apple doesn’t fall far, it seems,” she said, glancing at Laura.

Laura shrugged a little, blushing. “I mean...I love this place. And there’s enough condos in town that they don’t need to build more out here.”

The two lapsed into silence, but it wasn’t tense. Carmilla sank into the leather cushion of the bench seat, marveling at how easily Laura moved with the sleigh, the little adjustments she made as she guided the horse.

Laura glanced at Carmilla and smiled, watching as she relaxed a bit. Carmilla’s hand hadn’t left her thigh beneath the blanket, and her thumb was gently stroking back and forth along the fabric of her jeans.

It still hurt what Carmilla had said. It still stung. But she understood now. She could see the heaviness in Carmilla’s eyes, but also affection. Regret at what she’d said.

Laura’s hand fell to Carmilla’s for a moment, and she gently squeezed it before grasping the reigns again.

“There’s a clearing up ahead,” Laura said, “I think you’ll like it.”

They soon reached the clearing Laura spoke of, and she tugged on the reigns, calling for the horse to slow to a stop.

“We’re not truly in the middle of nowhere,” Laura said, “but it _is_ easier to see the stars from here.”

Carmilla glanced up, and the view of the stars overhead left her breathless. Bare trees intermingled with evergreens framed this little vignette of the sky, tiny, shining silver specks against indigo velvet.

“It’s beautiful,” Carmilla breathed, her eyes tracing the constellations. She looked to Laura, who was watching her instead of the sky. There was a complicated look on Laura’s face, but her eyes were soft, and Carmilla wanted so badly to lean forward and kiss her. She forced herself not to, though. “I absolutely don’t deserve this but...thank you.”

Laura’s hand once again went to Carmilla’s, but this time she laced their fingers together beneath the blanket.

“Why did you move away from here?” Laura asked after a while.

“Elle’s job was closer to the city,” Carmilla said. “And I can work from anywhere, so it seemed like the obvious choice. Why did you go to New York for school?”

“I wanted to be a journalist,” Laura said. “I mean, I still do. I’d like to do both. And I wanted a change...as much as I love the farm, it felt like a prison for a while. Dad means well, but I wanted my own life.”

A look of sympathy flashed over Carmilla’s face. “Why come back then, if you wanted to get away?”

“I missed the woods,” Laura said, picking at a loose thread on her jacket. She hadn’t quite noticed that she’d started leaning on Carmilla’s shoulder. “I missed the quiet. The city was beautiful, and exciting, and I still love it, but four years there was enough for me. And woodworking in a tiny Brooklyn apartment was a challenge,” she said with a laugh.

Carmilla laughed as well. “Sounds like it would be.” She was quiet for a long moment. “I’m glad you came back, she said, “and, I’m glad I came back.”

“Me too.” Laura said. “Where are you from?” She asked after a moment, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. “You’ve never said.”

“Austria,” Carmilla said, and watched as Laura’s eyebrows shot up. “I was four when Maman adopted Will and I. Will was a year old...Mattie had already been with Maman for a few years.”

Laura could feel the tension that had began to coil in Carmilla’s body, and she took both of Carmilla’s hands in her own. “Story for another day?” She asked.

Carmilla swallowed, nodding. “I’ll tell you,” she said, her eyes imploring. “It’s just...a lot.”

Laura nodded. “It’s okay,” she bit her lip for a moment before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Carmilla’s lips. “Wanna make snow angels? I think you owe me at least one.” She said with a wink, getting to her feet.

A smile tugged at Carmilla’s lips, and she allowed Laura to lead her out of the sleigh and into the snow.

After about an hour in the snow, Laura noticed that Carmilla’s shoulders were shaking. She reached forward and laid her hands on Carmilla’s upper arms, and worry flashed across her face.

“Carm, you’re freezing,” she said, starting to rub her hands up and down Carmilla’s arms. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m fine,” Carmilla said, but the shudder of her voice gave away the shivers she’d been trying to hard to repress.

“No you’re not, you’re frozen,” Laura said, grabbing Carmilla’s hand and tugging her back towards the sleigh. “Come on let’s go home, you can take a hot shower, I’ll make cocoa.”

———

Before long, the horse was safely back in the barn and resting in its stall, the sled parked across the barn, and Laura and Carmilla were headed towards the farmhouse. Laura fumbled with her key for a moment before ushering Carmilla inside.

“I swear—you need a better coat than this,” Laura grumbled as she gently tugged Carmilla’s leather jacket from her shoulders.

“It’s a nice jacket,” Carmilla protested, scowling as she stepped in a bit of snow after kicking her boot off.

“ _Nice?_ Yes. Warm? No.” Laura said, and hung up up next to her jacket on the wall. “Here, I’ll get you some of my clothes and you can take a shower.”

Laura led Carmilla up the stairs to her bedroom, where she rifled through her closet and eventually produced a pair of red sweatpants with little ornaments on them, and a white tshirt.

Carmilla raised an eyebrow amusedly at the sweatpants, and Laura sighed.

“Oh come on, it’s what I got, just go take a shower,” Laura said with a laugh, gently pushing Carmilla towards the bathroom.

Carmilla turned and grabbed Laura’s hand, pulling her in for a kiss. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

Downstairs, Laura busied herself with building a fire in the fireplace, carefully arranging bits of kindling and old newspaper. When the sound of crackling, dry wood and the hiss of the flames filled the room, she went to the kitchen to put the cocoa on the stove.

Laura eventually heard the creek of the stairs, and looked up as Carmilla made her way downstairs. Her hair was damp, and Laura bit her lip to keep from smiling at the sight of Carmilla in her clothes. She may have picked the ornament pants on purpose.

Carmilla smiled a little as she padded towards Laura, toes curling against the cold tile of the kitchen floor.

“Better?” Laura asked, looking up from where she was pouring cocoa into two large mugs.

Carmilla came up behind her, and wrapped her arms around Laura’s waist, her chin resting on Laura’s shoulder. She hummed a “ _yes”_ and pressed a kiss to Laura’s jaw.

Laura turned in Carmilla’s arms and kissed her. “You smell nice,” she said, pushing Carmilla’s hair away from her eyes.

Carmilla raised an eyebrow. “I smell like you,” she said, “I used your shampoo.”

Laura shrugged a shoulder, smiling. “I’m okay with that.” She handed Carmilla a mug and beckoned for Carmilla to follow her. “C’mon, I built a fire.”

Carmilla followed Laura into the living room, and the two of them curled up on the couch, watching the fire. Laura leaned her head on Carmilla’s shoulder, Carmilla playing with her hair.

“Where’s your dad?” Carmilla asked after a while, looking down at Laura.

“He drove down to the city, the tree salesman we stock was running low,” Laura smiled a little. “He asked me to go with him...I’m glad I didn’t.”

“I’m glad you didn’t too,” Carmilla said.

They sat in silence for a while, and Carmilla thought Laura had fallen asleep for a moment until Laura looked up at her, an inquisitive look in her eyes.

“Do you want to stay tonight?” She asked, shifting to look at Carmilla better. She looked nervous, her hand beginning to fiddle with the hem of her shirt.

A look of surprise flashed over Carmilla’s face. “But this morning—”

Laura shook her head. “I know, I know, it’s just...I missed you last night. We talked, it’s okay.” She said, and the unsure look on Carmilla’s face lessened slightly. “I want you to stay, if you want to.”

Carmilla smiled a little, nodding. “Okay.”

//

Monday, December 21st

Carmilla woke slowly as she felt something warm nestle itself against her chest, soft breath against her neck.

She cracked an eye open and smiled into her pillow as she realized that she was curled around Laura, the previous night coming back to her.

That was very much not the way she was expecting the previous day to end. 

Laura was nestled against her chest, her face tucked into Carmilla’s neck, her breath ghosting softly over her skin. Her arm was thrown over Carmilla’s waist, her other hand curled under her chin.

Carmilla watched her as she slept, a sliver of sunlight from the slight part in the curtains cutting across the bed and turning Laura’s hair to gold. Carmilla carefully brushed a few strands of hair from Laura’s face, and held back a laugh as Laura’s face scrunched up a bit, a little groan coming from the back of her throat.

Carmilla stayed like that for a while, dozing lightly until the need for coffee won over. Carmilla kissed Laura’s forehead and carefully untangled herself from Laura, pausing as Laura whined in her sleep, her hand blindly reaching for Carmilla.

Carmilla’s chest ached at the sight of Laura searching for her in her sleep, and caught Laura’s hand, holding it until she settled down again. She carefully got off the bed and looked around, eventually finding her shirt on Laura’s desk chair, her boy shorts not far. She slipped them on and headed downstairs to make coffee.

Carmilla located the canister of coffee in the cabinet after looking around for a bit, and leaned on the counter beside two mugs as she waited for it to finish brewing. Her mind drifted back to Laura as she watched some flurries drift by the window, and she couldn’t help the little smile that crossed her face.

She’d been sure she ruined everything. Standing here, in Laura’s kitchen, making coffee for her after spending the night together was the last possible thing she could have imagined herself doing, and yet here she was.

That serene feeling was suddenly shattered however, when she heard the front door open.

In came Sherman, covered in snow, looking exhausted, with an overnight bag slung over his shoulder.

“Laura?” He called, kicking his boots off. “Laura I got back early, I thought we could go to the diner—” He stopped short as he turned around, staring at Carmilla standing behind the kitchen island, the gurgling of the coffee machine the only noise in the room. “Who are you??” Sherman demanded, straightening up to his full height. “Where Laura, how did you get here—”

Carmilla looked at Sherman like a deer in headlights, and was suddenly painfully, acutely aware that she was not, in fact, wearing pants.

“Carmilla,” she said after a long moment, raising her hand. “I’m Laura’s...friend.”

Sherman seemed to relax slightly, apparently recognizing her name, but then a look of anger flashed across his face. “She was very upset after talking to you yesterday,” he said, crossing his arms.

Laura had mentioned that her dad was fairly burly, but Carmilla was having a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that tiny little Laura was the daughter of this giant of a man.

Carmilla winced. “I know. We talked, it’s...it’s okay.” Her eyes darted to the end of kitchen island and she scooted a little closer towards the center.

He gave her a long, scrutinizing look before conceding. “Alright, but if it happens again—”

“It won’t.” Carmilla said simply.

He gave her a look as if to say _“I should think not”_ and went to sit at the kitchen island, but before he could, Carmilla held up a hand.

“Could you...give me a moment?” She said, clearing her throat slightly. Her eyes flicked down, and then up again at Sherman, hoping to get across what she meant without having to say it.

Sherman gave her a confused look, but as she flicked her eyes down a second time, realization dawned on his face.

“Right.” He said with an awkward cough. “I should go change anyways.” With that, he grabbed his overnight back and headed up the stairs.

Carmilla cursed under her breath as she quickly prepared two mugs of coffee, and darted up to Laura’s room as fast as she could once she heard Sherman’s door close.

Carmilla nudged Laura’s door open, and closed it as softly as she could and leaned her back against it, letting out a slow breath. She looked over to Laura and smiled though when she saw that Laura was still fast asleep, curled up under the thick covers. Carmilla padded over to Laura’s bed and set the two mugs down on her nightstand before sitting beside Laura and brushing her hair away from her eyes.

“Mm...Carm..?” Laura mumbled, cracking an eye open.

“Hey,” Carmilla said softly.

“Hey,” Laura grinned, rolling onto her back to look up at Carmilla. “Sleep okay?”

Carmilla nodded. “Strangely, yes. You?”

“Like a log,” Laura said with a yawn.

Carmilla laughed a little, and gestured to the two mugs. “I made coffee,” she said, “and...your dad came back early.”

Laura’s smile turned to a look of horror and she sat up, immediately awake. “What??” She squeaked, hugging the blankets to her chest. “Did you run into him?”

Carmilla nodded. “I did. It was...interesting.”

Laura gave her a pained look. “Please tell me you were wearing clothes,” she said, hands on her face.

“I was wearing the shirt you gave me, yes,” Carmilla nodded. “And my boy shorts.” Laura let out a sigh of relief, and Carmilla grimaced. “I may have left the pants up here, though.”

“Oh god,” Laura groaned, leaning back against the pillows. She laughed after a minute. “Well, it wouldn’t be the first time my dad got an eyeful of one of my girlfriends...” she said, but then her eyes widened as she realized what she said.

“Well I was standing behind the island...he thankfully got the message and gave me a moment to escape unseen...” Carmilla paused, an eyebrow quirking as she looked to Laura. “Girlfriend?” She asked.

Laura sat up again, pulling the covers with her, the air chilly on her bare skin. “Um, yeah, I-I was going to ask you if you wanted to uh...I mean I wasn’t going to ask you like _that_ , I was going to _ask you_ ask you, yknow, properly,” Laura’s fingers fiddled with the blanket as she refused to meet Carmillas eyes. “If-if you don’t though, I get it, it’s fine, there’s no pressure—”

“ _Liebling_ ,” Carmilla interrupted, an amused smile gracing her lips. She tilted Laura’s chin up, and Laura’s look softened, her brows drawing together. “I’d like that, very much,” Carmilla said.

Laura’s eyes widened, a cautious smile pulled at Laura’s lips. “Yeah?” She asked, barely contained excitement in her eyes.

Carmilla nodded. “Yeah,” She tucked Laura’s unruly hair behind her ear, cradling her cheek.

Laura grinned in earnest, and she leaned forward to kiss Carmilla, attempting to pull her back into bed. Carmilla followed, but after a moment, finding herself on top of Laura, she pulled away.

“As much as I would love a replay of last night,” Carmilla murmured, her eyes lidded as she looked down at Laura. She leaned down and kissed down Laura’s neck, relishing in the feeling of Laura shivering under her. She smirked at Laura and kissed up her chin, only properly kissing Laura when Laura whined impatiently. “My first impression on your father is already questionable at best.”

———

Laura insisted that she speak to her dad before Carmilla re-emerged from Laura’s room, and Carmilla wasn’t going to argue. Carmilla was rarely intimidated by the parents of those she was interested in, but she wanted to make a good impression. And he was the protective type, which warranted extra caution.

So Carmilla sat at the end of Laura’s bed, dressed in her jeans from the night before, and yet another tshirt Laura loaned her. (This particular one being a deep blue Silas U tshirt from Laura’s college days. She’d sheepishly handed it over to Carmilla saying that working—and living—on a farm warranted a lot of work clothes and that a good number of her tshirts were a bit beat up. Carmilla just kissed her.)

After a while, Laura peeked into her room. “All clear,” She said with a wink, and reached out her hand.

Carmilla smiled and got to her feet. “You’re sure he’s not going to kill me?” She asked, taking Laura’s hand and allowing her to lead her downstairs. She had her leather jacket zipped up, absolutely not wanting Sherman to see her in Laura’s clothes after her narrow miss that morning.

“I’m sure,” Laura nodded. “Het dad, we’re gonna go into town, need me to pick anything up?” Laura called as they reached the kitchen. She went to the hook by the door and took her keys before pulling her boots on.

“Nope, jut have fun,” Sherman said from his spot on the couch, his face in the morning newspaper. He flicked it down with a finger and gave Carmilla a scrutinizing look before winking and letting the paper flop up once again.

Carmilla raised an eyebrow, and uttered a polite “bye” before being tugged out the front door.

“Yknow,” Carmilla started as she followed Laura to her truck. “I’m not scared by much, but your dad is...something.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “He’s harmless,” She said, hopping up into the driver’s seat.

“To _you,_ maybe,” Carmilla muttered to herself.

Before long, the two were strolling down main street, coffees in hand after stopping for an egg sandwich at the coffee shop down the street from Will’s pub. Laura was still on the hunt for one last gift for her dad, and Carmilla was happy to tag along. They wandered in and out of shops for a few hours, and even ducked into Will’s pub for lunch. As they left the last store with Laura’s gift for her dad finally in hand, Laura turned to Carmilla as they headed back to her truck.

“Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?” She asked, “Properly meet my dad and all.”

“Yeah,” Carmilla nodded after a moment, but Laura saw the nervousness in Carmilla’s eyes, and slowed to a stop.

“Carm, I promise he doesn’t hate you,” Laura said with a little smile. “He was actually a rather big fan of you before our little...fight, and I set him straight this morning. It’s fine, I promise.”

Carmilla nodded. “Okay,” she said, and leaned forward to kiss Laura. “What kind of whiskey does your dad like?”

———

Later that night, Carmilla stood in front of the door to the farm house, a rather nice bottle of whiskey in hand. She’d noticed on one of their many walks that there was actually a small vineyard on the property, so she thought that bringing wine would be a bit redundant.

Thankfully, Will owed Carmilla a favor and she took that favor in the form of a rather nice bottle of whiskey.

She’d gone home and showered after her and Laura had parted ways in the driveway that afternoon, and dressed in something a little nicer than she had been in that morning. Not that that was a particularly challenging thing to achieve.

So there she stood in her favorite jeans and leather boots, a deep red button up shirt beneath her leather jacket, her red scarf around her neck. One hand was wrapped around the neck of the bottle as she raised the other to knock on the door. She tried to suppress her nerves, and a wave of relief washed over her when the door opened, and Laura was standing on the other side.

“Hey,” Laura grinned, and took Carmilla’s hand, leading her inside.

Carmilla followed, and couldn’t help but lean forward to kiss her hello as Laura unwound the scarf from her neck. “Hey,” She said as they parted. “I missed you.”

Laura giggled. “It’s been three hours,” She said, her eyebrow raised. “But I missed you too. Come in, dinner’s almost ready.”

Laura led Carmilla into the kitchen by the hand. “Carm’s here,” she said happily, and Sherman looked up from the stove.

“Hi Carmilla,” he said with a smile, and wiped his hands on the towel that was slung over his shoulder. He held out his hand to shake hers, seeming to pretend that their meeting that morning hadn’t happened, much to Carmilla’s relief. “Glad you could make it, hope you like steak,” He said with a smile and a wink.

“Sounds perfect,” Carmilla said, her shoulders relaxing a bit. She held out the bottle to Sherman. “I brought this,” She said, “I was going to bring wine, but I know you make wine...seemed a bit redundant.”

Sherman took the bottle and let out a low whistle as he read the label. “Impressive,” He said with a nod. “This is going to be perfect, where did you get this?”

“My little brother owns a pub downtown. He owed me a favor so I stopped by on the way here.” Carmilla said, “Laura mentioned that you liked whiskey.”

“Well, this kind of bribery I like,” he said with a laugh, “Thank you, Carmilla.”

Carmilla nodded. “Of course,” She glanced at Laura as Laura returned to her side. “Can I help with anything?”

“Not at all, food’ll be ready in a few,” He said happily, and turned back to the stove.

“Want some wine?” Laura asked, leaning her chin on Carmilla’s shoulder, wrapping an arm around Carmilla’s waist.

“Yes,” Carmilla said with a sigh, giving Laura a small smile.

Laura poured Carmilla a glass of red wine and handed it to her, kissing her cheek. “I promise he likes you,” She whispered.

Much to Carmilla’s relief, dinner went incredibly well. Sherman asked about Carmilla’s work, and was thankfully, to Carmilla’s relief, not put off by her being a musician. He actually seemed rather interested, asking her about the movies she’d scored, what she was working on at the moment.

Laura nudged her dad under the table. “Dad, you’re interrogating her,” She said, giving Sherman the stink eye.

He shrugged. “What? I’m interested,” He said innocently.

“It’s okay,” Carmilla said, her hand landing on Laura’s knee and gently squeezing. She looked back at Sherman. “I’m working on an indie film right now. Really just floating them ideas, it’s still early in the project.”

“Sounds exciting,” Sherman grinned, that familiar excited, curious look in his eyes that she so often saw in Laura.

Carmilla nodded. “I wish I could say more, but I signed an NDA.”

“Fair enough,” He nodded.

Carmilla picked up her glass of wine. “I know its an...odd career choice.”

Laura laughed. “Carm, we sling trees for a living, there’s no judgement here.”

Carmilla smiled a little, nudging Laura’s ankle. “I write sometimes if I’m between music gigs,” She explained.

“I still haven’t heard you play yet,” Laura said, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

“Well, I suppose we’ll have to fix that soon,” Carmilla said, a soft smile on her lips.

After dinner, Sherman built a fire, and the three of them moved to the living room, Laura and Carmilla curled up on the couch together, Sherman settling into his favorite armchair. He’d insisted on cracking open the bottle of whiskey, pouring a small glass for all of them. After a while, despite trying not to, Sherman nodded off in his chair, sleep overtaking him between a full belly and the long ride that morning.

“Thanks for coming over,” Laura said, her head resting on Carmilla’s shoulder. She idly played with Carmilla’s hair. “I’m glad you two get along.”

Carmilla smiled. “Of course,” She said, kissing Laura’s forehead. “I’m glad too.”

Laura was quiet for a long moment before she sat up properly, turning to Carmilla. Carmilla watched her curiously, smiling at the sight of her in the warm, flickering light if the fire.

“I have a question,” Laura said nervously, taking Carmilla’s hands in her own.

“What is it?” Carmilla asked, sitting up a bit herself.

“I know...I know that this is kind of a sore subject,” Laura started nervously, avoiding Carmilla’s eyes as she ran her thumb along the back of Carmilla’s hand. “and if you want to say no, that’s fine, I just...We have a Christmas party every year. Well, a holiday party. End of the year party, since we close for a few months after Christmas. Its just me and dad, and some staff, Perry. Sometimes a couple of my aunts and uncles drop by. It’s nothing big, but I know how you feel about holiday parties...but if you wanted to come, I would really love that. Bring Will and Mattie too, if you want.” She finally looked up at Carmilla, her eyes soft as Laura looked at her. She reached forward and pushed Carmilla’s hair behind her ear. “I won’t be mad if you say no,” She said. “I want you to have a good time, and if you’d rather me come to your apartment, or if you want to do something else, that’s okay.”

Carmilla swallowed, nerves rising in her chest. She laid her hand on Laura’s, where it still rested against her cheek. She watched as Laura’s soft eyes searched her face.

This was Laura. Not Elle. _Laura_.

“I think Will would love that,” Carmilla said, “Mattie probably not as much, but I’ll ask her. I think I’d love that too,” She said, her voice soft.

//

Wednesday, December 23rd

“A little last minute, no?” Will asked, looking at his sister as they walked down Main Street.

Carmilla scowled at him. “She asked me to be her girlfriend _yesterday,_ Will, I hadn’t really planned that far ahead.” she said, though she couldn’t help the smile that threatened to crack through her scowl.

“You’re both gross,” Will said with a grin, “but I’m happy for you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She muttered. She was quiet for a moment. “There is one other thing I need to do, though.” She said, pulling her hand from her pocket.

Clutched in Carmilla’s hand was a small, black velvet box. She nudged the top open with her thumb, and nestled in the red satin lining was a delicate silver band, atop which sat an emerald surrounded by tiny diamonds. 

Will raised an eyebrow. “That’s a little quick, Kitty.”

“That’s not—” Carmilla started, smacking Will’s arm. “Its...its Elle’s. I never sold it. Its been sitting on my dresser since she left, but....I don’t want it anymore.”

//

Thursday, December 24th

Carmilla sat in the driver’s seat of her car in Laura’s driveway for a moment after shutting the car off. Somehow, she felt lighter than she had in a while, but there was also a knot of tension in her gut as she stared at the farmhouse.

Selling the ring had been...big. She’d held onto it for so long. Too long. She knew it had been unhealthy, keeping it, but she just couldn’t let it go for the longest time. Since selling it though, she felt...lighter.

There was a nagging in the back of her head though, about the party. She’d been doing her best to shove it away. It was inconsequential, irrelevant. What happened the last two years didn’t matter. She didn’t want Elle, she hadn’t wanted her in some time.

What she really wanted—or rather, _who_ —was in that house in front of her, probably flitting about, preparing for the party.

Carmilla smiled as she watched Laura zip past the window, and she took a breath, and popped the door of her car open.

Laura greeted Carmilla with a kiss and a hug as she walked through the door, and Carmilla smiled into Laura’s hair.

“Hey,” Laura grinned, squeezing Carmilla’s hand.

“Hey,” Carmilla smiled. She leaned forward, sneaking another kiss before Sherman saw.

“Hello, Carmilla!” Sherman said with a big grin, waving from the kitchen.

“Nice to see you, Carmilla!” Perry chirped, appearing behind Sherman. She was in her signature sweater, streaks of flour and all.

Carmilla waved back. “Can I do anything...?” She asked, looking to Laura.

Laura shook her head. “Dad and Perry handle the cooking, it’s their bonding time,” She said with an affectionate smile as she watched them. “They’ll just kick you out of the kitchen if you try to help.” She gave Carmilla a mischievous look. “I do need to get the wine from the cellar by the gift shop, though. Wanna tag along?”

“Lead the way,” Carmilla smirked, stepping back out the door with Laura.

Carmilla was right in her assumption of Laura’s intentions when Laura promptly pushed her against the door and kissed her once they were in the cellar. Carmilla kissed back, her hands wandering beneath Laura’s jacket, and then slipping under her shirt as Laura ran her tongue along Carmilla’s bottom lip. Laura’s hands slid down from Carmilla’s ribs to her hips, squeezing gently as she pushed herself up against Carmilla. She groaned as Carmilla slipped her tongue into her mouth, but all too soon, Carmilla pulled away.

“Keep going like that and I’m going to take you against the wall,” Carmilla warned, her voice low and gravelly as she ducked her head to begin pressing kisses down Laura’s neck.

Laura sighed, her eyes closing at the sensation. Her nails trailed down Carmilla’s back lightly beneath her shirt. “That was sort of the plan,” she admitted, pulling away enough to duck down and catch Carmilla’s lips in a kiss again. “Either that, or getting a minute to kiss you like this.”

“Either one can be arranged,” Carmilla said, returning to Laura’s neck, nipping gently with her teeth this time.

Laura whined a little, her better judgement waning. “Oh god...god, dad already nearly saw you in your underwear, maybe hickeys aren’t a great idea—”

——————

Despite Carmilla’s best efforts, they left the wine cellar undefiled and returned to the house, each carrying a few bottles of wine.

The party was everything Laura said it would be.

It was quiet, mellow. Low key. Perry was of course stressed about the food, but that was just Perry. Mel, Danny, and some of the other staff stopped by, as well as a couple of Laura’s aunts and uncles. Will showed up with Kirsch in tow, and even Mattie came by later on in the evening.

Laura stayed firmly by Carmilla’s side, introducing her to each person they met. Carmilla could sense Laura’s worry, but she felt it fade as the night went on.

It took Carmilla a while to notice that her own nerves, the knot in her stomach, had been easing bit by bit as the night wore on. Each smile from Laura, each little touch, every time she laughed, chipped away at the knot in Carmilla’s gut.

Carmilla smiled as she watched Will and Laura laugh together, as she watched Kirsch and Danny fall into a weird, yet endearing comradery over a plate of cookies. Laura and Mattie engaging in a battle of wits was a sight to behold. She saw in her sisters eyes that Mattie very much approved of Laura, that gleeful spark of intrigue and excitement at a challenge in her eyes.

Laura introduced Carmilla to Danny, and Carmilla felt a pang of guilt echo in her gut as she watched the two of them together. It was so plain, now, that nothing was there. Carmilla watched as Laura nearly threw a creampuff at Danny over a disagreement about Buffy. She felt a bit like an idiot, but Laura just took her hand and kissed her, and Carmilla felt at home.

Later on in the evening, close to midnight, Carmilla stepped out onto the deck that extended off the kitchen, needing a bit of fresh air. The frigid air washed over her, and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. She leaned on the railing of the deck, her eyes sweeping the rolling hills of trees, the little paths cut between, the barns in the distance.

She barely heard the sound of the door opening behind her, and she smiled when she felt a pair of warm arms wind around her waist.

“Hey,” Laura said, bumping her head against Carmilla’s. “You okay?”

Carmilla nodded, turning to look at Laura from the corner of her eye. “I’m okay,” she said, “just got a little warm, is all.”

Laura hummed, nodding, and they stood in silence for a moment.

“Thanks for coming tonight,” Laura said, her hands finding Carmilla’s. “It would have been okay either way, of course, but...I’m really happy you’re here.”

Carmilla smiled. “I’m glad I came too,” she said, and turned in Laura’s arms, her back resting against the railing. “I’m glad I decided to come here with with Will that day, too. I almost didn’t.” Carmilla tried to ignore the sad little shiver in her spine at the thought. The thought that she almost didn’t meet Laura.

Laura let out a breath, a similar emotion seeming to play out on her face. “I’m glad too.” She leaned forward and kissed Carmilla. “I don’t even care that you snapped at me.” She said with a playful smirk.

Carmilla rolled her eyes, smiling as she pulled Laura closer.

“Want to come back inside?” Laura asked after a bit. “Perry’s going to be making cocoa soon, and I think a few people left so it’s not so crowded.”

Carmilla nodded. “Alright,” she said, and let Laura lead her back inside.

Later that night, when everyone had gone home, and even Sherman had called it quits and retired to his room, Carmilla sat on the couch in front of the fire, watching as Laura dozed beside her, wrapped in a blanket, something dawned on Carmilla.

It was a gentle realization, it wasn’t quick, or sudden. Unexpected, maybe. It was like the uncovering of something that was always there.

Carmilla smiled, the thought crossing her mind as Laura cuddled closer to her in her sleep.

Carmilla was absolutely in love with Laura Hollis.


End file.
